Little Miss of Deceive
by XKey of the AbyssX
Summary: If you asked me who I am, I would tell you my name: Ayano. If you asked me what I'm doing here, I would tell you: I have no idea. But by then I would know exactly what you would ask me next, and I would know what answer you would expect from me. And thus I would lie. Lie, lie, and lie some more because quite frankly that's all I know how to do. RikuXOC. Don't like don't read
1. First Lie

_**This is what...my fourth KH fanfic. Yeah my other series didn't really work for me. I'll try to finish it but I give no promises at all :p Sorry about that.**_

_**But this one I'll try to since I've been all inspired by the promo release of KH3 :D Are you guys excited cuz I am. But oh well without further ado let's get into the summary so that we can get to the story itself.**_

_**Summary: **** If you asked me who I am, I would tell you my name: Ayano. If you asked me what I'm doing here, I would tell you: I have no idea. But by then I would know exactly what you would ask me next, and I would know what answer you would expect from me. And thus I would lie. Lie, lie, and lie some more because quite frankly that's all I know how to do. Heartless love that and take heed to me, but others not quite. **But I haven't quite given up yet. I ran away and abandoned my home and now I'm here, in this place called Hollow Bastion with this strange boy, Riku. And yet all I see with my eyes is a girl who's scared of change but lies to all, a place of darkness with buried secrets, and a boy...a boy who's afraid of something he can't **say.**_

* * *

**First Lie: Truth not be told**

* * *

**_You're awake, at last._**

_"Huh?" my head spun just as that syllable escaped my lips. It was hard to think and as always all I saw was darkness. "W-Where am I...?" Standing up didn't help for I was pretty unstable. Where...? "Father...?"_

**_Child, do I sound like your father?_**

_No. He didn't. In fact, now that I listened to him better, his voice was quite deeper than my father's. "Who're you, then?!"_

_**You could call me that.**_

_I didn't understand then but I'm quite sure any stranger isn't my friend. "Where am I? Why am I here?"_

**_To the 'where', I can't answer simply because many people call it by many names._**

_"And the why?"_

**_Well...I've heard your wish...  
_**

_"So..." I whispered hopefully. "Can you?" I took a step forth without really knowing where exactly 'forth' would be. And seeing how actually one single step had driven her to here -wherever 'here' actually was- it was saying quite much. "Can you grant it?"_

**_I cannot. But there is a way for you to accomplish it._**

_"How?" I couldn't believe my words. I was actually listening to a disembodied voice that came from nowhere. "Tell me how." A sudden burst of light blinded me making me place my arm before my eyes._

_...wait...what?!_

_The bright light ebbed a bit before becoming bearable. When it had I lowered my arms to find the silhouette of a man standing ways from me. Despite the lighting, no recognizable feature could be seen of him. It was just a shadow contrasting against the light._

**_If you so desire to make it come true then you will gain the power to make it so. But all in accordance to an exchange._**

_"Exchange...?" I muttered not understanding._

**_It is beyond me to give this gift for nothing, child. You must leave something behind, in this place, in order to obtain what I can give you._**

_"But...I have nothing to give. How can I exchange something for something I do not have?!"_

**_It is not that which you don't have but that which only you posses.  
...your own 'self'..._**

_"What...?" I hissed not getting what he meant. "I don't get you. What do you mean 'my own self'?"_

_**You will have great power but in of itself 'you' will be lost. And until one who was like you sees the face you do not posses, will 'it' be returned to you.**_

_"One who was...like me...?" a hand I couldn't see, but knew was mine, reached out and faintly brushed my eyelashes, missing my eyes. "You mean...because of my-?" Turning up to see him as I spoke, I could only see the light as it began to fade. "No, wait! I still have things to ask you!" But the light didn't heed my word and kept vanishing almost gone for good, letting my eyes get accustomed to the darkness once more. "My father!" I cried out reaching, "I never said sorry! I need to find him!"_

**_And you will...All on its due time._**

_The light faded but by then I couldn't tell that well since my eyes were beginning to turn heavy with sleep. Why was I so tired. I fought it as much as I could but to no avail as it slowly took over me. Yet there was one last thing I heard him say to me._

_**Just remember...to him all hearts connect. Remember that, and you will find your answer.**_

* * *

**A person once told me: ****Tell the truth and you will sink in the dark from all the happiness that you're giving away to others. Keep lying and you'll be deceiving even yourself that you're salvageable to the light.**

******I don't know whether to believe them or not but lying has always been my forte. But to be truthful, I'm not very good at it.  
Isn't it strange? That the truth is always the one that seems most suspicious...**

* * *

"I can't believe you!" Oswald reprimanded her for the umpteenth time that day after catching her yet again not doing her chores. Picking at her ear playfully to mock him, the blonde that sat just in front of him sighed in boredom. His cheeks puffed red in annoyance, "Will you pay attention for once in your life?!"

"Yeah, yeah," she said flicking away her fingers. "What are you so mad about anyways?"

"What am I-!" he puffed again and unable to speak from how angry he was he walked away leaving Ortensia to talk to the young and rebellious teen.

"Deary," Ortensia began and paused trying to think of what to say that would go through the blonde girl. "Oswald is just trying to make sure that everything's in order for the banquet at the Castle tonight."

"Well, he shouldn't have trusted me with the china arrangement knowing that I literally trip on my own feet," she said sticking her tongue out at Oswald. "Besides, this here is Wasteland and here anything painted becomes real, doesn't it? Why don't you draw some more pretty china, stupid bunny?"

"Argh!" Oswald yelled turning to face her. "I am not a bunny! I m a rabbit!"

"Same difference," she muttered standing up.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Oswald shouted out waving his fist about as she walked past them.

"None ya," she called sticking her tongue out again.

"Wait right there! Don't you take another step young lady!" Oswald yelled but only watched her as she stepped out of his house. "Ayano!"

"Oh my," Ortensia said with a great sigh.

"That unruly brat!" he huffed more while putting his hands on his hips.

"She didn't mean all that, dear. I'm sure you didn't either," Ortensia said placing a hand on his shoulder.

Huffing one last time, he looked at Ortensia and sigh letting his anger go as his ears dropped low. "I wished she wouldn't rely on them so much."

"But you know she can't help herself, Os," Ortensia said calling him by the nickname the once little Ayano had called him when she couldn't say his whole name. "She doesn't know how to. If she would only let us help her though."

"She won't," Oswald said crossing his arms and raising his eyes to look at the shelf where he kept a very special weapon in storage. "She's too much of a stubborn mule to ask for it."

"She'll come around," Ortensia assured him while staring at the path that the girl had left through. "She'll come to us when she's ready."

Oswald sighed again and sat on his chair while holding his head, "What will I ever do with her in the meanwhile, Ortensia. She's..." With another grave sigh, his ear hung low once more, "Ayano's changed."

* * *

Ayano sat in the garden reservoir atop one of the buildings in Ostown. After an incident that Os had told her about when she was little, Ostown and all the other places where reconstructed for the toons here. The building she was in now was a great hotel that Clarabelle Cow was in charge of and the Garden Mystique was a reservoir of exotic plants and flowers that was made by Oswald for Ortensia as a gift. So only her and others she let in were able to. Lucky for her, Ortensia only allowed Oswald, her, and Clarabelle.

But since the banquet was today, Clarabelle had declared the hotel was official packed. If she wanted solitude that was the right place, nobody would bother to come up.

Sitting at one of the tea tables, she sighed and plunged her forehead onto the table.

Why...

Why did she let herself do it again...?

"Why the hell did I lie?!" she bellowed holding her head and screaming at the sky. Letting her head fall back and her arms fall to her sides limply. Her eyes wondered off and found the clear glass walls of the dome that surrounded the garden to let the sunlight in. On it, she saw her clear reflection. An image she had, since long ago, learned to hate. Her wavy blonde hair was short to her shoulder blades and much of her bangs were unruly falling all over the place giving her waves a lot more shape. Her skin was fair and her stature short for someone her age, 5'2" at fifteen. But what she hated the most of herself were her eyes.

Those cat-like eyes that were the brightest color of red. And when she said bright, she meant bright. Even on the crystal they reflected back a sharp string of red every time she moved. Sick of her image she turned away and laid her head on her crossed arms upon the table.

Ever since she could recall, those eyes were the worst thing. It was because of them that she would lie so much. How, might you ask, that is? Well, her eyes were the ones that were able to deceive people into seeing what she wanted them to see. What she would often do, unconsciously, was use them as a mirror to create an exact replica of the personality of the person she was facing. Since Oswald back then was so pissed off at her that her eyes instantly reflected that upon him and Ortensia to see.

Yet inside all she felt was guilt for having made such big mistake. She knew that the banquet was a pretty big thing for Oswald since his half-brother would be coming over for the occasion. She had never met him in person since she couldn't attend the yearly feast when little. Ortensia told her, though, that both were like two drops of water. Tonight, seeing as she was already of age, would be her first time attending and her first time witnessing the brothers together.

She wanted to very bad, ever since she was little but now she doubted Oswald would let her. Not after the china incident, specially not after that backtalk she had delivered too.

She sighed and smacked her face for her stupidity. Why couldn't her eyes just stop for once?! She had tried many times to stop them with no avail. So far she had never found a way to turn them off and so she kept lying.

Oddly, enough though, that wasn't all her eyes could do. Just the same way they could lie, her eyes could also tell apart the truth. She herself was a liar, yet, in very rare times, did her eyes change perspectives and see the truth that hid inside people's hearts. This happened more often when she was little but much less now that she had grown.

Either part of that she hated immensely. She didn't like lying but she didn't like knowing all the truth. Why couldn't she just be freaking normal?!

"I thought you would be here," Ayano's head snapped up and turned to see Ortensia standing not far from the rosebush. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm alright," Ayano's said unknowingly putting up the mask that she had with Ortensia. What the older kitty saw was a timid but sweet girl who had trouble adjusting to such different world. "I wish he wouldn't blow a fuse so easy though."

"He's sorry for sure about shouting at you," Ortensia assured her walking closer. "But shouldn't you apologize too?"

"I guess," Ayano said looking at Ortensia who raised an eyebrow making her chuckle. "Okay, yes. Maybe I should."

"Now then," she said smoothing her skirt. "The banquet's starting in a few hours. I think you should start getting ready for it."

"Sure," she said standing up. **I wouldn't mind being grounded though. I'd deserve that.** "Good thing the bunny's a good person, huh? Otherwise I wouldn't be going."

Ortensia chuckled, "That would be so, deary. Now on you go."

"Yeah," Ayano mumbled.

**Why can't I ever tell the truth...**

* * *

Ayano sighed heavily not seeing anything she liked to wear for the party. And since it was a special occasion the thought of wearing a dress crossed her mind but at looking at the ones she had she thought she'd rather kill herself than wear one of them.

Opting to go for her good black skirt and a nice white blouse and dark heels, she tried putting her messy hair in a bun. It was hard as it was since it was long and rebellious. So in the end, loose strands of hair popped here and there. Blowing one out of her face while looking in the mirror, her eyes caught her reflection again and barely caught the string of red light that followed their movement. Her left hand came to a fist but before she reacted she thought and instead calmed herself down. Many times before had she struck a mirror when she had seen her reflection, or more like her eyes in it. That was exactly how she had gotten a scar between her middle and ring finger knuckles.

After that, she's tried hard to keep her temper under control. Her short temper was one of the few things that she could catch were originally hers. It was hard to since all the personalities she mirrored mixed with her own. It was hard to tell which were hers and which weren't.

Sighing and letting the issue go for tonight, she headed towards the Castle. Having to pass Oswald's study to tell him she was heading out first, she stepped short while raising her fist in the air to knock at hearing Os's worried tone of voice come from the other side.

"What do you mean she needs to leave?"

**What?**

"I apologize greatly for the burden I've imposed you both with along with taking care of the child, Oswald," an old man's voice came barely audible to her ears. "But as of now, it seems she's absorb way too much powers from you. She'll soon become a beacon to the Heartless like she did when we found her."

**Found...me? They found me?**

"But is this the only way to avoid her from doing that?" Ortensia asked sweetly.

"I am afraid not. As of now, there's still no way to cage whatever emanates her powers," the old man said grimly. "And until then, if ever, we must keep moving her. She cannot fall in the wrong hands. You understand this, don't you, Oswald?"

There was a great pause before his answer, "I do. We will...I will send Ayano to you tomorrow first thing in the morning."

**No. Sending me...away? Why?** Retreating her fist, she stepped back and sprinted away towards the Castle and it seemed like she had arrived there before anybody else.

She started pacing around and about trying to ignore the painful throbbing that kept coming to her head. The slight burning on her eyes wasn't helping much either. She couldn't understand why, though. Why would Oswald agree to send her away? Sure, she was a major pain in the butt but she didn't mean anything by her words. Oswald had figured that out years ago, then why?

Why?!

"Aya?" Brusquely turning to Ortensia's voice it seemed as if she were frightened of them now. At seeing her concerned face, her eyes instantly identified the person and masked her confused and scared expression with a surprised one.

"H-Hey," she said still stuttering. "What's there to do still?"

"Not much," she said as more guests and caretakers started entering the castle. "But surely you'll find something to keep yourself busy meanwhile the time comes."

Ayano stared at the clock that set ten minutes till ten. The dinner started at 10:20, odd time but still. She had exactly half an hour to calm herself down. "Yeah, I will." Walking around to the restroom she opened a faucet to splash water on her face.

**You've gotta calm down, Ayano. Take deep breaths. What you heard must have been a mistake. Yeah, just a mistake.**

"Just a mistake." Her murmurs echoed through the lonely restroom as she kept her eyes on the basin. But at looking back up a still shadow caught her attention. Although brief, she distinguished the figure. It was herself but in a black palette and pale skin. The eyes red as ever staring back at her own through the mirror and a grim grin showing her way. At turning Ayano found no one there. Had it been her nerves? "Enough with the creepy crap," she muttered to herself and walked out of the restroom.

The dinning room was even fuller than when she arrived, as was expected of only ten minutes till dinner. A lot of people were already sitting down including Ortensia who was at the left side of Oswald's empty seat which rested on one end of the long table. The seat across from her was reserved for Oswald's brother while the one next to hers belonged to Ayano. But as she was now, she couldn't possibly remind seated and calm. She needed to walk around for as much as could.

Stepping out, she sensed something off and odd about the situation.

**Why's everyone whispering so loudly?**

_"This is to be a great event!"  
"I hope His Majesty arrives safely."  
"I don't get it. Why do we have to stay in here while the brother comes? Why not go to his fancy place instead?"  
"This is boring."  
"I'm ready to go home any time."_

"Be quiet," she whispered walking around without really watching where to. Unintentionally pushing someone out of her way in her struggle to shut the voices out of her head, she made one of the waiters tumble over with the great amount of food he had littering the floor. Looking at what she done and at the waiter, "I'm so sorry." She covered an ear trying to keep out the sudden shout that came.

_"Dumb brat! What am I to do now!"_ "It's fine. Hope nothing happened to you." Did she just hear him speak twice?

_"How rude!" "Such spoiled child." "She's that monster kid that Oswald took in."_ _"I thought she wasn't allowed to this banquet or any public service." "I wonder why they let her appear?" "Out of pity, perhaps."_

It was too much. Her head was about to explode. And finally it did.

**_"SHUT_ UP!"** Gasps and sighs were heard from everywhere as everything stopped to her bellow. Breathing deeply, her head was finally quiet until one person grabbed her by her arm and pulled her aside into one of the corridors. It wasn't like she cared since blissful silence had finally hit.

"What's the matter with you, Ayano?"

"Oswald?" her voice came faintly and surprised, as if she actually missed hearing him.

"Who else, brat? What's wrong with you! You expect me to let you attend with that attitude of yours like that?" Oswald hissed back.

"The banquet..." she mutter remembering. Then she heard his voice again but not aloud, _"Why couldn't you just be normal for once!"_

"You..." she said hurt but not knowing for sure. "You think I'm a freak too?" That was it. Something in her mind snapped and she heard a distant hissing in the back of her mind. Her teeth grinding she spat out the truth for once, "Is that why you're sending me away? 'Cause I'm not normal!?"

Oswald's eyes widened and his ears twitched straight before falling slightly back. "Y-You...You overheard?"

But she didn't hear him and she continued her rampage, "Well, newsflash pal, I've never been normal. I'll never be normal. You want to know why, because no one wants to accept me. You and all the others just push me aside as if I'm just trash and a burden." She stepped out attempting to leave but her wrist got caught by Oswald's hand.

"Wait-"

"No!" she yelled brushing his hand away. "I'm tired of being left out like this. I hate it. I hate this. And most of all, I hate you!" Oswald's ears dropped at the last words she said. She scowled at him and leered, "Don't bother sending me off tomorrow." She ran off without turning back at the rabbit.

His hand still reaching out it dropped as he saw her disappear. "Oswald!" Ortensia's sudden shout mingling with others caught his attention. Behind him, hoarding against everyone that was there, were black figures with bright yellow eyes. His ears perked up as he stretched his hand out expecting something to happen. But what usually had happened didn't anymore.

"What?!" the shadows took over the people and soon over Ortensia. Oswald, seeing no other way, ran away as his children kept the shadows away from him.

_"It seems she's absorbed way too much powers from you." _

* * *

Slamming the door of the house open and back close, she sprinted up towards her room and got her satchel as she packed in a few things. Among them a pare of pistols that she had been working on reconstructing. Afterwards she headed towards the rabbit's study where he kept most of his old stuff.

Rummaging through cabinets and shelves, she found what she sought inside one of the cabinets. A purple and bluish star shard that she'd seen Oswald use before to travel. She knew that besides Wasteland there were other places.

"Please," she whispered to the cold crystal that she clutched between her hands. "Take me away. Somewhere, anywhere. Anywhere but here." The shard started to shine in her hands, the light shinning bright between her fingers. Feeling a bit queasy, she felt a sudden pull and push as she fell into a dark place, falling unconscious.

* * *

**I basically didn't know what to expect. Was I dying? Was I still alive? **

**While all those questions, and more, engulfed me, all I knew for sure was what a voice uttered to me.**

**"Lying brings out your own misfortune but in the in end it'll render happiness attainable for others."**

* * *

**_Well? How was it? _**

**_Pretty long intro chapter huh? I hope it's interesting enough to catch your attention. And in each chapter they'll be bold letters like the ones on this one and it'll all make sense in the end. You'll see :)_**

**_Please review :D_**


	2. Second Lie

_**Well, this is going better than expected :)**_

_**Thanks to the following people for the follows and favs to this story :D You guys give me hope and inspiration to keep writing!**_

_**Twilight Dark Angel  
**__**Cynder135  
FreeHugs0009 **_

**_Thanks again, love you guys._**

**_Note: the first sentence in bold-italics is a quote by Frank Wedekind._**

**_Now to what you came for :3_**

* * *

**Second Lie: Once a Liar...**

* * *

_**Any fool can have bad luck; the art consists in knowing how to exploit it. **_

_**Quite unfortunately, though, I didn't know the art of it back then. I was just blindly lying, knowing nothing but everything at the same time.**_

_**It truly was hell...being so lost and not even knowing when you lost your way in the first place.**_

* * *

"Ugh." Holding her head first because of the throbbing pain, Ayano slowly awoke from her sleep. When had she gone to sleep anyways? A sudden image came of the banquet, the fight, and the star shinning. "Os?" she murmured and looked around but as she did, she noticed that she was no longer home.

Where she now was was a dark place. She had apparently landed on a machinery room of sorts for there were strange stations spread about the circular space. Standing up, the blur she kept seeing slowly ebbed away before she could clearly see her surroundings. Behind her an empty wall surrounded by all sorts of tubes crawling on it. Walking up to the railing she saw that the hallway ahead of her was greatly illuminated by a bluish glow.

Walking down the stairs, she came to take a closer look at what emanated the glow. She gasped at seeing the six different chambers of which five were filled with beautiful woman and a girl. Only a spot remained but she didn't want to see whom it was reserved for. Walking up to one, she placed her hand upon the cold glass.

Her face as white as snow, her lips as red as blood, and her hair as black as night. "How beautiful," she murmured tilting her head slightly. It was like watching a gorgeous painting on exhibition. But this was a real person, she had to remind herself of that. Pursing her lips, she stepped back and patted herself down checking to see what she still had.

Her satchel seemed intact. Her pair of pistols were still there and so were the extra clothes she brought with her. "The...the star shard! Sh-" she caught herself at saying something as she started looking everywhere for the dumb piece of star.

Creek.

Turning up to the noise, her eyes barely caught the sight of an huge armored fellow carrying a shield that was apparently guarding the place. Sneaking in between two of the chambers, Ayano waited until the noisy steps of the...creature went quiet. Stealthily going out and around towards the door, she kept going through weird corridors and doors while hiding herself from the creatures with her eyes.

For once in her life she was glad that she could lie to people, even to the point that she could make them not see what was there. Finally making it to something remotely normal, she sprinted down a set of stairs and landed herself in what looked like the lobby of the place since a fountain came to be where the pair of stairs she had come from separated.

"Where am I?" she whispered at last giving up on getting out the place. It was an immense building and it seem to have no end. It reminded her very much of the castle at Wasteland. A sudden creaking made her ears perk again as she sharply turned around and immediately let her eyes take over. But, contrary to what she heard, there was nothing coming her way. "Did I just imagine it...?" Pursing her lips and shrugging her shoulders she was about to turn about to continue her walk when her wrists were grabbed by behind and placed behind her back forcing her rigid against the person on her back.

"Who are you?" a boy's voice whispered against her ear as he pressed his chin against the side of her head.

She clicked her tongue before chuckling. Funny how a lifetime of lying and figuring out people would serve in handy now. Just from that one question and his approach about it, Ayano was able to tell a great amount of stuff. "I'm having a hard time answering that question with such a cheerful hello."

"Don't get sassy with me," he said tightening his grip and actually making her grimace.

"Ow. You are hurting a lady. that's very ungentlemanly," she said said trying to turn her head to at least see his face and that way lie her way through. But this son of a gun was making it hard for her to even do that which was majorly pissing her off. But just then she managed to release one of her arms and instantly elbowed him making him double over in pain.

Running away into more familiar ground she back tracked but couldn't shake the steps that followed closely behind her. Just when she thought she had lost him she got tackled down a set a stairs as they both rolled down. At the end of the stairs she was pinned against the floor by her forearms.

"Get off me!" she yelled struggling to get away.

"Don't-" but he stopped mid sentence at seeing her eye-to-eye. "What are you?"

Snarling at the comment, she shouted at him, "Shut up!" Pushing him away she began to make run for it that didn't last long since she need only take two steps before bumping into something that almost made her lose her footing. Had it not grabbed her body with its massive hand and lifted it up from the floor, she'd fallen back. Yelling out in pain was all that she could do as the hand rapidly began to squeeze her tiny body.

"No! Stop that!" she could hear the boy yelling but to no avail.

"Halt!"

The pain went away instantly at the second voiced that echoed in the place. At opening her eyes a bit, she noticed three things, the boy, the monster that she had avoided before and the witch that now stood in front of her. The monster lowered her for the witch to look at her closely. With the witch staring straight in her eyes, however, Ayano saw an opportunity and took it as she shared the same stare in her bright red orbs. But the contact was short for the witch quickly grabbed her chin with her thing fingers, "Don't attempt such foolishness. You meager powers are useless against those who know of them." She flicked her hand away at the creature, "Take her away."

Arriving at the basement of the castle, the monster threw Ayano inside a stone cell and closed locked the iron bars that held her on the other side. Running up to the bars, she watched as the monster disappeared. She sighed and lowered her vision. Great, how was she suppose to look for an exit being stuck in the slammers?

"What are you doing here?" Ayano, surprised, looked up to see the boy from before standing a few feet away from her.

"Well, I'm glad to hear your apology for tackling me down." **Are you seriously expecting me to answer your questions after getting me in here!?**

"Hey, it's not my fault that you were sneaking in this Heartless infested castle. Besides it was you who got their attention when you hit me. It's your fault you're in here."

She stared at him for a few seconds before thinking her next question carefully. "Did you even hear what I said?" **Can you...hear me?**

"I'm not deaf. Of course I can hear you!" he said grabbing one of the bars.

She stepped back a few feet and tapped her chin with her fore finger. Strange. Never had anybody seen through her lies yet the first time she stepped out of Wasteland her powers are deemed useless by a witch and a boy. _It's redundant to think what to say and say something else completely. Maybe..._

"You're with that witch of a woman?"

"No. Well..." he stepped back himself and scratched the back of his head. "Sort of." Close enough. She found a way to communicate at least. She couldn't help to lie so she had to say the lie as close to what she wanted to say in order to not confuse herself.

It's working, she thought. "Where is this?"

"Hollow Bastion," he answered and shook his head. "Enough with your questions. Who are you?"

Pursing her lips, sarcasm wanted to flow out of her mouth so bad but since she couldn't lie she technically couldn't hide it. "I'm an alien that came from the galaxy far away where not even you could start im- Pft!" she said holding her stomach. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."

"You're majorly annoying," the boy said grabbing had onto the bar. "What's your name? No more fooling around."

"Loosen up a bit Capt. Kill Joy," she said taking a sit on the cold, stone ground. "The name's Ayano. Aya for short. And you, Cappy?"

"Don't call me that," he reproached. "And it's Riku."

"Mmh," she mumbled in contemplation. "So tell me, 'Riku', where exactly are we? And I don't mean name wise, I mean world and location wise."

His expression changed to one of bafflement. "You know of the other worlds."

She couldn't really lie on that one since Os had taught her a lot of other worlds. Not any specifically but she had learned where exactly Wasteland was. If she knew any kind of coordinates she would be even closer to knowing how to go back. "Yes, now do you know any specifics on this place?"

He shook his head, "I got here a merely a week ago, myself."

Well, wasn't he useful. She blew away the bangs on her forehead. "Great," she hissed and threw herself back to lay down.

"But you're from another entirely and ended up here. How?" he asked but unbeknownst to him, Ayano was just figuring out how interesting the ceiling was. "Are you listening?"

"I'm listening but ain't responding," she said lifting a finger for emphasis. Dropping it, she continued, "So technically I'm just paying attention." She sighed hearing him grumble so she decided to tell at least one half truth, "The people taking care of me were gonna sent me away. I decided to teach them a lesson so I ran away."

"It's clear that your annoyance made them think that solution up." Before he could get a laugh from his little joke, Ayano had jumped up and pushed her hand through the bars to grab him by the collar of his shirt. But her expression was completely out of context which made him stare wide eyed at her.

A grin spread from ear to ear, "You're funny, boy. I hope you can laugh after I punch your mouth into your face." Sharply letting go she headed over back to her spot.

Holding his neck, he wondered what would've happened had she been able to reach his neck. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"Bah," she said throwing herself down again to lay down. "Like I care anyways. Don't you have any other things to do than to chat with me?"

He stared at her hoping to make her say something else but no word escaped after that sentence. "I'll...see if I can get you out of there." Shortly after she heard his footsteps leaving. When she couldn't hear them anymore she got up hurriedly and looked as far as she could out. Nobody there anymore. Rummaging through her bag that, luckily, they hadn't taken away she got out her pistols. Pointing one at the bars and undoing the safety, she pulled the trigger of one but it didn't shook. Clicking it over and over again only assured her dread from a few seconds ago: she failed at repairing them.

"Crap," she putting back inside in her bag. But suddenly hearing a slightly clinking that wasn't the guns inside made her look inside her bag. Inside was a small piece of shinny blue with purple outlining. Pulling it out she noticed what it was, one of the ends of the Star Shard. "Great!" Maybe it could send her back to Wasteland. Holding it between her hands like the first time she whispered it aloud, "Please, send me back home." But, unlike before, the star didn't shine.

Sighing she looked at it closer, "It's only a piece of it. It must not be working 'cause it's incomplete." But where could the other piece be? "You're useless like this though," she murmured and tossed the piece aside and heard it clink against the wall.

Laying back down it was quite a hassle to think of a way to escape. First two plans were an epic failure so...now what? Suddenly a dim bluish light caught her attention. Turning on her side she noticed that the piece she had tossed was shinning with a dim light. Then she saw a ray of light shoot from the piece straight up and stopping before touching the ceiling. Shortly after the ray opening sideways making an upside down triangular opening. On it was a dark shimmering surface that had appeared from the opening. Crawling over to it, she reached out to it and was dumbfounded when her fingers went through. Drawing it back she held it close as she stood up. Putting her hand through again she could swear that she felt the hot rays of the sun on the other side.

She grabbed the piece and was surprised to see that the doorway didn't disappear. Putting it back in her bag she took a deep breath before jumping through the doorway.

* * *

Without knowing what to expect she closed her eyes but to her surprise landed on something soft and warm. Looking at her surroundings it surprised her to see the amounts of sand.

Standing back up she noted how strong the rays of sunshine actually wear. Drops of sweat already started to form on her forehead from the intensity. Taking one of her handkerchiefs out she wiped away sweat before walking on ahead. She wasn't far from what looked like an Arabian market or bazaar.

She'd studied a lot of stuff and thankfully some stuck to her. Going inside the marketplace, she found it quite deserted and entered a building. Inside were just vases and other things. Seeing a couple bottles of potion, she took them and put them in her bag. Whomever it was that owned the place wouldn't care much or them since they had left it alone.

Sitting down for a breather she took out the piece of star. It's light was dimly blinking as if telling of somewhere it wanted to go. "Weird," she murmured and pulled her hair up in a ponytail to venture the outside.

Once out it seemed that the star piece blinking faster when she directed it towards the open desert. "I'm not heading out to uncharted plains." The piece kept blinking and just wouldn't stop. Sighing Ayano tightened her bag on her shoulders and headed that way guided by the simple blinking of a star.

It surprised her, actually, just how fast she had gotten to a small clearing of sand. What surprised her more was the fact that there was a giant tiger's head made of sand sprouting from the floor.

"Ain't it subtle," she chuckled. Pointing the piece towards it, she saw as the blinking intensified and become more rapid. "Guess inside we go." Once in she was pushed back by the fear that came from seeing how crowded it was. Crowded with Heartless that was. "Shoot." Hiding behind a pillar she took out the pistols again and rechecked them again. She could have sworn that back at Wasteland she had finally repaired the age old weapons. Looking closer into the mechanism though, she noticed that a small spring was missing in one and a small rod in the other. She sighed and took a little box of parts from her bag and put the thing together again. Clicking it she noted something else that she was stupid for not noticing before: it had no bullets.

"I am a failure at this," she muttered being ashamed of herself. Suddenly the brightness of the piece intensified to a shining getting her attention. Looking inside her bag, though, she found two purple pieces that had detached themselves from the piece she had. "What in the..." she wondered and held them in her fingertips. They were the exact same size as actual bullets but why one? Putting it inside one of the pistols she was suddenly as the empty cartridge filled itself. All except the original ones were of a darker shade. Taking one of the dark ones out she was amazed to see how another instantly filled its place. "Cool," she said in awed and placed the other one inside the other pistol.

Turning to see where all the Heartless were she quickly made her way towards to next room. Her sneaking around was useful until she accidentally nudged into one of them. Getting their attention, she ran for it while shooting at them as she sprinted away. Those little pieces were amazing! They kept coming back and back. Finally losing them she entered into a room filled with gold coins and all sorts of treasure.

"Damn, wonder if I could take something from here?" she said reaching out for one coin but was distracted when a sudden shaking came and from behind her the column that was blocking the way any further was destroyed. "Nice," she said and sprinted away to the inside where she found a chamber with three different platforms. In the middle of it all was a man and a woman on the floor, with what looked like a genie too. "Too much information," she murmured holding her hand in the trigger. She saw no need to intervene in anything that wasn't her business.

**"It isn't now."**

Hearing the voice, she turned around. Behind her was the shade of herself that she had seen back in Wasteland. "You're..."

**"You."** She stepped forth from her place and walked towards her slowly backing her against a wall. She looked exactly like Ayano with outfit and all. Her hair and skin was basically all that was different for they were as black as night and as pale as the moon. **"But then again-" **she chuckled. **"I'm not really you. Don't you remember me, Aya?" **The shadow reached out and touched Ayano's hand pulling it out so that she could cover it with both of hers.

An image flashed before her eyes of pure darkness as she heard a faint voice saying, _**"Keep on**_** lying."**

"You're the one that...I met..." her head started to get as her eyes began burning deeply. "When did I...meet you? I know I have..."

**"It's your memories," **the other said while letting go with one hand and caressing her head. **"They were damaged during the exchange. It's hard to say whether they were damaged beyond repair but the more you know the better."**

"W-What do you mean?" she cringed in pain as she looked at her. She didn't know how much longer she could stand her eyes hurting so much. They were even starting to make her see everything a hue of red. "What...exchange?"

**"They found you, remember?" **she said letting go of her and tapping the side of her head. **"Ever wondered where exactly you come from? Who you are? Why...you?"**

"My eyes..." she murmured. Why her...? that question had always popped up in her mind when she was little and even more now. She scowled and backed up hitting the platform's wall and slid down because of the pain.

**"Come one, Aya. Remember what you wished for? Remember what you gave up?"**

"Why don't you tell me!" she hissed.

**"If you don't know what makes you think I do? I'm a part of you, I know what you do! I'm just..." **she chuckled as she grinned like she did that time before. **"A bit more inquisitive than you."** Without a warning afterwards she disappeared. The burning in her eyes left just as quickly as it came. By then someone had already arrived besides her. Thing was they couldn't see her.

"How?" she said and her eyes stung much. Usually when that happen was when they were over working themselves. Could it be... "I'm hiding myself." She was lying to everyone in her surroundings to make it seem like she was something she was not and hiding herself. Was this triggered...because of her shade? "I need to-" she tried standing up but slipped on sand falling on her face. Well wasn't that lovely.

Spitting it out and opening her eyes after scrubbing them, she caught the glint of something. Looking closer she saw a bluish piece that was half buried in the sand. A sudden earthquake took her by surprise as the ground in the center began to sink in and it was precariously taking the piece along with it.

"Heck no!" she called scamming towards the piece and catching it just before the floor completely collapsed. She saw as a trio fell down the opening going after the now corrupted vizier. Standing up she looked around towards where to get out and caught the glimpse of the woman, a princess apparently, looking down to see how the fight was going. But she was oblivious to the boy behind her that had just knocked her unconscious to take her away. "Riku...?"

She felt the little piece that now was in her hand began to tremble. Turning away, she looked at it to see it shinning. Extending her hand away from her face she caused the ribbon of light to shoot out and open another doorway. This one, instead of being shimmering black and leading to somewhere unknown, she could see that on the other side was the cell which she had left behind. Suddenly a new earthquake hit and she began seeing that pillars of fire were shooting from down below and destroying things there.

"Forget it! Not staying to see this!" she shouted and jumped right in and through to the safety of her room. Staring at the doorway she saw as the place collapsed before it closed upon itself and the ray disappeared.

"That...was a close one." Picking the original piece she had from before in one hand, she inspected them both and brought them together. Like nothing, they stuck together and became a whole piece. Gawking at it she figured that based on how the portions were divided that it had broken into five parts. "Well three to go I guess. And then-" she put it away in her pocket. "It's home sweet home."

A creaking and shaking of iron took her attention as she turned to see the big Heartless opening the door again. She stepped as far in as she could. The thing was too big to fit inside the room that at least would stop it from grabbing her like last time.

But a voice came to calm her nerves, "Don't worry." Riku came from a side as he walked past the thing. "Come on."

As they walked down the corridors the strange Heartless followed behind them. "What happened?" she asked unable to withstand the unknown.

"I convinced Maleficent to let you stay in a more suitable place," he said walking a bit a head of her. Walking through a hall of doors, he stopped just before one of them and opened the door. "This is your room."

She walked in and found only a bed, nightstand, and wardrobe. "There's a catch, isn't there?"

"You'll still be a prisoner. The Heartless will still be watching over you, stationed outside," he said pointing out.

"So, two of those will be right outside my door," she said pointing at it. "How am I suppose to sleep then?"

"Don't sweat it. It'll be fine," he said turning to leave.

"Why are you helping me?" she asked turning to him with a thin line across her lips. "You have no reason to. You're pretty antisocial from what I can see. Why help someone you've just met?"

He looked over his shoulder then back ahead, "I guess...you sort of remind me of who I'm looking for." And he walked away leaving Ayano with a sour taste in her mouth.

* * *

_**I didn't understand then why he helped me. Why he was being so nice to me even after what I did. **_

_**It baffled me and at the same time it didn't. **_

_**People seek comfort in each other. When struck with tragedy it seems that the last bit of humanity is sparked lit. **_

_**Yet, more often than not, hope only hurts more. I surely wished he hadn't given it to me.**_

* * *

_**I gotta admit the first half of this chapter was pretty boring :p the second half wasn't so bad I think.**_

_**I promise next chappy will be better. I just freaking hate Agrabah with a passion but I counted and since I'm using the manga as reference there's only four worlds after Sora and Riku's reunion.**_

**_Please review and fav. I love you all :D_**


	3. Third Lie

_**Thanks to everybody who keeps reading. The views are just really great.**_

_**I love all of you! :D**_

_**Now to this :)**_

* * *

**Third Lie: One of Two Friends Isn't Bad**

* * *

**It would be a lie if I said that living in such conditions wasn't harsh. But I guess, what was harder was living alone. **

**So whenever, whomever, and in whatever shape, friends were always welcomed.**

**Even the most annoying or most uncool ones.**

* * *

**People hate people who are different.**

_"Oswald!" a little girl called running towards the rabbit and kitty that walked the garden together. "Ortensia!"_

_"What is it, Aya-chan?" Ortensia said looking at the little girl that took her hand crying. Her bright eyes shaking a ribbon of red when her head moved. Just then did she notice the cuts and bruises. It hadn't been the first time either. _

**But there are those who've taught me otherwise.**

_"These eyes...I hate them."_

**_"I hate the color red."_**

_"But it is them who make you who you are. For the eyes of a person are the door to their soul. And the key to unlock them resides in your heart." _

**_"But look, the color red you hate so much a hero wears it proudly. So you see? It isn't as bad as you__ think?"_**

* * *

Ayano woke up barely conscious of what was happening. She'd slept in a comfortable bed today which meant they hadn't kicked her out of the room like she thought they would.

Getting up she walked up to the door and opened it but she'd forgotten about the couple of Heartless that were now harassing and growling at her. More exactly, their shields were growling at her to go back inside.

"Hold your horses," she said staring at their eyes. "I'm in dire need of food. So why don't you big boys ignore that I'm even here," she said jokingly ready to go back inside while shooing them away jestingly. They didn't really move at first but then something strange happened. Both suddenly stopped and went back to post. Almost as if they were actually not paying attention to her. "Weeeeird," she said elongating the word for her own emphasis but shrugged her shoulders anyway and walked about.

But by the five minutes she was completely lost and further than ever from sweet breakfast. "Damn it. Okay let's check door by door." She wiggled her fingers as her hand hovered over three doorknobs. "Let's see what's behind door number one!" she said plucking at the middle door and opening it. What she finds inside is a room dark enough that one would not be able to see. Then again one of the perks of having hers eyes was their hypersensitivity to many things including the dark. And what she saw made her cheeks turn almost as bright as her eyes. She slammed the door shut and shouted to it, "I'm sooo sorry!" Then the person behind the door tried pushing the door open but she was in the way. Making a run for it she headed wherever. Riku slightly opened the door to find that she was gone. And he, still only half dressed without his shirt.

Pushing through a pair of double doors in the second floor of the lobby she found herself in an enormous library. She gasped amazed at the countless of books that where in this place. Softly moving her fingers through each spine of every shelf she went upstairs to do the same and look through every title.

Her fingers went over a thing spine and went back to it in confusion. "Huh?" she murmured and carefully took out the thin book while holding it in her hands. Thumbing through every page she began reading what she came to find was a children's storybook. " 'Theory of Happiness'," she said reading the front cover. Well that's intense for being a picture book. Reading it, she came to find that the book was about a little girl who noticed how so many people around her were sad. In order to change that she sought after a very rare and powerful magical power. At obtaining it, though, she was told that the only way to give happiness was to give it away. The girl, without a second's hesitation, gave the magical power she had worked so hard for away and gave happiness to others. She discovered that as long as she could bestow happiness, she was happy.

"To give happiness...huh," she murmured with a cold tinge to her voice.

"How did you get out of your room?" Instantly she closed the book shut by clasping her hand and placed it back and went back to looking through them. She heard him step close towards the bookshelf a few feet behind her, " 'Theory of Happiness'? Isn't it a kid's book?"

"Very observant, aren't we?" Ayano called taking another book out and pretending to look over it.

Riku grimaced at her response. Why was she so bashful one moment and the next so forceful? "What'd you think of the story?"

"It's alright," she answered sitting down on the desk and reading the book she had gotten. Riku skimmed the child's book before putting it down.

"It sounds quite unrealistic to me."

"Doesn't it?" Ayano agreed chuckling a bit. "To find something like that and just give it away so easily. What stupidity!" Riku stared at her for giving such an answer but she remained unnerved by him as of yet.

However it wasn't surprising to Ayano. For some reason, it had become easier to lie even to him now. It seemed like it became stronger somehow. It was more honed than before. It must be at least since she could now fool one of the two was unable to before. But she wondered what had triggered the unexpected change. Glancing up at him she voiced her concern from before, "Do you happen to have any food with you? I'm famished."

"Food?" he asked and saw her nod. "Um," he took a bread out of his pocket. "I'm sorry I have nothing else. They bring the food."

"Good enough," she said grabbing the bread and eating it by bites. "I don't eat much anyways," said she in between bites. When she finished she licked her forefinger and continued reading. "Do you go out to other worlds now that you're here?"

"Y-Yeah, why?" he asked confused.

"Nothing. Just wondering." Well, that answered the question of why she saw him at the desert.

"I really don't mean to intrude but..." he gulped trying to make asking much easier. "Your eyes. Why are they-"

"Like this?" she said without taking her sight from the book but pointing at them nonetheless. "Birth defect."

"They couldn't just be that. I mean-"

"Well, I'm done here. Might as well head back." While ignoring him all the while, she head back towards her room.

Once there she closed the door behind her with lock. Sprinting to the mirror she leaned against the wall and just stared at her eyes. They were brighter now. Their gleam was unbelievable now even more than before. Even in the dark of her room she could see their shape and her cat-eyed pupil shinning a bright scarlet.

"How?" she whispered reaching for her eyes. A sudden light reflected on the mirror made her turn towards her bag. From inside a bright blue light shone through. Getting it out, she held the Star Piece as it shone. Stretching her hand away, the same ray of light from before shone onto the wall opening another doorway.

Pushing her hand through she didn't feel anything different but she could hear cheers coming from far inside.

"Guess there's no other way," she murmured and stepped through. She found herself at the entrance of a great coliseum an could hear the countless people that kept cheering in the inside. Walking through the front doors she saw a small half goat man working on some stuff. "E-Excuse me, what is this exactly?"

"Huh?" he turned towards her and smiled. "Are you a spectator?"

"Um, sure?" she said not sure of what else to say.

"Well, this here is Olympus Coliseum where the greatest of the best heroes battle it out to see who's the best of the all," he said. "Have your ticket of admission?"

"Well, not exactly." She went over to the list of competitors and got to the bottom, "Who's Team Sora?"

"They're a new trio that I myself trained. Truthfully speaking they're not half bad."

"Is this Hercules guy also your trainee?" she asked taking a peek at the top of the list.

"Yep. He's gonna win no doubt about it," he said and looked at her. "You said you don't have a ticket, huh?" He put his hands on his hips and rummaged something out of a box. He produced a ticket that he passed on to him.

"For me?"

"We don't have that many die-hard fans out here. You look like you could enjoy a good brawl once in a while. So yeah, it's for you."

"Well...thanks," she said with a faint smile. Walking through the coliseum and into the stands she watched diligently as the battles began. And amazingly enough she saw the trio that the guy was talking about as they fought their way to the top. She yawned out of habit. Watching exhibits was something she did much of back in Wasteland so watching this now was quite boring as well. Walking up and out she wondered about and found herself in the hallways of the inside. Hearing cheering outside she figured that the big trio had won once again. "What a surprise."

A tiny little grumbling made her look down and touch her stomach but when the grumbling continued and she was sure it wasn't her, she began looking around for the source. In the distant corner she could see a pair of bright yellow eyes looking her way. She saw as they swayed to the left and the right and then they were followed by the growling sound she had been hearing.

Walking closer and seating on her heels and bending forth she looked closer with her eyes. Then, from the shadows, came out a small Shadow. This one, however, didn't look like the one she normally saw crawling around Hollow Bastion or any world in general. This one was tinier and...way cuter. It was a small oval thing that stood on four tiny, stubbly legs. It had the same accordion-like antennas. It made the growling sound again and slowly waddle her way. It bounced up and down making the noise in front of her. Bending down, she reached out with her finger, "Hey there little guy." It growled again before revealing pointed black teeth that snapped at her finger. "Ow!" she yelped pulling away as she frowned. "You're a little, pesky-"

"What a pain..." Turning around she saw from afar a tall, blonde man walking her way.

"Damn," she couldn't be found here. People would think she was snooping around. She went over close to the shadows where the Shadow had been and looked straight ahead at the guys eyes. **Don't mind me. I'm just another Heartless. Oh please, just walk away.**

As he walked past them his eyes dwelt slightly over them before turning to look ahead. Under his breath, Ayano could have sworn she had heard him say, "Pitiful Heartless." Once he was out in the ring, Ayano sighed with great relief. She remained there as the next battle commenced. How strange. Since this morning this was the second time she'd made someone believe something she thought about. Very, very unusual.

A small bark made her turn behind only to find the little Heartless that suddenly jumped onto her and surprisingly went right through. Grabbing her abdomen as if she'd been hit, she looked for any sign of injury but there was none. Turning around she just saw the little one munching on some bright pebble that it soon swallowed. She sighed once more out of annoyance and picked up the harmless Heartless from the floor as it barked and growled at her. "Oh shush," she said pushing it inside her bag. When she felt it rummage and suddenly go quiet, she took a peek inside and found the little rascal eating the spare bread she had secretly stashed. "You ate my bread," she pouted taking it out and holding him to her face. He only stared with his tongue out, no longer vicious. After a second, he licked her face. "Great," she sighed putting it down.

When she started hearing a great commotion outside she headed over to the arena while followed by the four-legged Shadow. Once outside she saw what it was all about. The match apparently had been won by the blonde she had encounter a few minutes ago. But even he was now inside the mouth of the huge three-headed dog from the Underworld.

"Oh goodness," she gaped at the huge dog that was snapping at Hercules as he tried to move it away from the blonde. Climbing the stands as fast as she could she found a spot to aim and took her pistols out. Aiming at the heads, she shot and got it at two different heads' eyes making it yelp and fall back as it scratched against them. Taking the blonde from the mutt's reach, Hercules drew back heading for the door but was blocked by it.

Jumping off the stands and heading its way, she kept shooting, trying to get his attention. Finally getting it she ran around trying to get Hercules time to escape. Avoiding a bite that it'd send towards her, she caught the glimpse of a shinny object that was stuck in the teeth of the middle head.

"A Star Piece!" she called but her inattention got her a paw to her side sending her flying to the stands opposite. As she got up with pain striking at her side, she started hearing the same distinctive bark from before. Glancing it's way, she saw as the tiny Shadow barked and growled at Cerberus for what he'd done. Suddenly, though, Cerberus raised all it's heads as if getting ready to bite down. "No!" she yelled and got up heading its way even when pain screamed for her to stop.

Diving in, she got a hold of the little runt and rolled out of the way from the mutt's bite. Rolling into the stands, she felt her back hurting like never before as it took all the air from her lungs. In her arms still was the little Heartless that kept growling at Cerberus. But the Underworld mutt had its sight on Hercules just when he'd swung a left hook on its middle head throwing it back. Just then the Star Piece that was jammed, flew out off place being thrown into the sky.

"Ah!" Standing up to sprint after it, she hadn't counted on a little rascal of a Heartless jumping in the air and catching the piece in its mouth. "Damn it!" she cursed under her breath and climbed onto Cerberus' back aiming to catch the runt that was now falling from its jump. Catching it in midair, she saw as the piece reacted and opened another doorway back to her room. Something made the mutt's heads thrust back giving her enough footing for an extra boost upward. Looking down just before passing through she caught the sight of a trio entering the fight: a dog, a duck, and a boy of brunette spikes. But what intrigued her most of all was the weapon he held.

Rolling into the room she, once again, crashed against a hard wall. This time her feet over her head and a tiny Heartless pup in her arms and licking her face.

Sitting upright, she wondered if what she'd seen what she thought. Just then a knock came to her door and she instantly reacted taking the mutt and shoving it inside the wardrobe while leaning against the door to keep it closed. The door opened letting Riku in as the Heartless from outside stepped aside.

Closing the door behind him, he opened his mouth to say something but stopped short when the doors of the wardrobe mysteriously pushed themselves behind Ayano.

She giggled nervously keeping her hands behind her and the wardrobe closed. Clearing her throat she smiled trying to put her mask on, "Hey. What's up?"

"Are you...all right?" he asked raising a brow.

She scoffed, "Of course. I'm just trying to keep myself occupied. Well, with having nothing to do being here in my room, all day. What else can you expect!?" The last word reached an octave higher as the doors behind her threshed. She giggled again, "Right?" She looked him straight in the eye but actions spoke even through her lies. And that the force of the next thresh pushed her onto the floor letting the tiny Heartless fall on her head spoke much more than her lies.

"Right," he answered and walked up to them two as he helped her get up. The pup simply ran around their feet barking happily. "And this is?"

"A mutt that I'm about this close to serve in a stir-fry," she said holding a space between her fingers. Immediately the lies came and poured out of her mouth without her noticing, "He came into my room early this morning. He wouldn't leave even when I yelled at it after eating my piece of bread that I've kept."

"About that," Riku said forgetting about the Heartless. "I've arranged for food to be brought here when you ask for it so that what happened this morning, well..." Trailing off while scratching the back of his head and looking away told Ayano just what he was referring to by 'what happened'.

She laughed nonchalantly, "Oh that. Petty accident, wasn't it? Well, thank you then. I appreciate what you're doing for me." Her brain suddenly came up with a question, "You're doing this...just because of whom I remind you? Are you sure that is all?"

He looked away and patted his leg getting the pup's attention. He reached down to scratch it and it just laid down making him needing to knelt before him. "Perhaps I just want to help. Is it so bad?" His tone had changed from nonchalantly to...somewhat hurt.

This made her scoff a bit in the inside. He wasn't as tough as he wanted to be seen. "Not really." She reached out her hand and scratched the pup behind the ear making it walk over to her and sit on her lap. "It's actually...kinda-" Before even finishing, she chuckled to herself.

"What?" he asked chuckling himself.

"You know," she said giving him a grin. "You're not as uncool as I thought." Even without looking, she could tell by his shuffling around that he was being sheepish about her little comment.

He stood up and having nothing else to asked, he said, "Are you keeping it?"

"I don't know," she said pulling it up by its ears but seeing that it didn't bother it, she let go. "I guess. He's good company, in the very least."

"All right, then. Be sure to sleep well tonight."

"Huh?" she asked glancing up with a puzzled expression. "How come?"

"You're coming with me tomorrow." Closing the door behind him, he left to let her rest. Laying down and with the pup curled up beside her, she couldn't keep something away from her mind.

The boy she'd seen at the coliseum and the weapon he held. She wasn't so sure at that first glance yet the more she thought about it, the clearer it became. It had to be...

"A Keyblade..."

* * *

**And that was a very strange day indeed. **

**First I saw just to what extent my powers were developing. Then I found a mutt that would turn to be a very dear friend. And lastly, I was starting to find a friend were I least expected. **

**And that that day was my first unintended encounter with the Keyblade's Chosen one. **

* * *

_**Well how was it? :3 **_

_**I think it was more interesting that the last one. Please tell me what ya'll think! :D**_


	4. Fourth Lie

_**Yay! I'm making some progress! :D I'm pretty sure this story is gonna be shorter than usual since I'm writing pretty big chapter**__**s and plus I want the next part to come along because this is basically a prequel of sorts :3**_

_**Thanks to leodraco for the fav and follow ;D**_

_**But let's get back to this, shall we? **_

* * *

**Fourth Lie: Deceiving Eyes**

* * *

**_Lying is something that many people do. Whether it be a great lie or a simple white lie. _**

**_Yet when you deceive you do something much worse. When one deceives they are outright misleading others and fooling themselves. _**

**_Wish I had known that then like I do now._**

* * *

_"This doesn't look safe," I said looking around at where we were. Why on earth did they want to come here in the first place?_

_"Don't worry 'bout safety, Aya. Ain't this your house after all?"_

_"Speak for yourself. It'd be better for us to do what we came for and leave."_

_Well, at least I wasn't the only one who's nerves he was getting onto. Glancing away, I found a huge test tube with nothing but black inside of it. "Weird."_

_"What's wrong, Aya?"_

_"Ayano?"_

_"These things..." I mumbled, unconsciously reaching out for it and placing my hand on its glass surface. Why can I...hear them? "They want..." A small hand came over mind over the glass. Then, out of nowhere, it began to crack. _

_"Ayano!" both cried but I couldn't hear them. The glass cracked opened letting them out and that's the last I ever saw._

* * *

"Okay, try again."

Ayano sat straight across from Riku upon the floor of her room, staring right in his eyes. His were relaxed in all its full teal while hers were strained but still bright red.

The eyes shinned brighter and in his eyes her figure was beginning to slightly change. But the moment she took a breath in, the change stopped completely with the brightness of her eyes dimming away. He sighed making her aware that she had failed...for the sixth time.

"It's useless," she mumbled letting her head fall forth.

"You just need to keep trying," Riku encouraged her, holding her by her shoulder. "If it helps I can see you changing already."

"Well I guess that's something," she said loosely holding onto the mask she wore.

"Try. One last time," he asked of her.

Blowing away the bangs from her face, she stared at his eyes once more. The bright red became even brighter as she concentrated more. Riku had told Ayano about _that girl._

The color of her hair. The color of her eyes. Her smile, her gestures. Her personality.

Hearing all of this from him the way that she had was unnerving. He spoke about her with such fervency and frankness that it made her uncomfortable. Thing was she didn't know why.

But nonetheless she wiped clean those uneasy feelings she was getting and focused on the specifics of the girl. Soon, Riku could see as a dark strings of blackness started surrounding her feet. Before long, the strings began to enclose her all and before his very eyes Ayano began changing. Shortly after, the strings sprouted outward as if letting a flower sprout and showed him the end result.

Sitting right across from him was Kairi.

Everything he had said now sat before him. Yet the moment his eyes landed on the girl's, his expression of awe disappeared. Instead of seeing bright blue eyes he saw Ayano's red eyes brighter than ever.

"It worked," he said, all awe gone from his expression and voice. "You look exactly like her exc-"

"Really?!" Ayano called letting the bewilderment come back to his eyes at hearing her voice. Even that was the same. Looking herself at the mirror, her expression of glee faded away. "You liar."

"What?" Riku said getting up.

"I'm still me," she said touching a strand of her blonde curls.

"That's not true," Riku said standing beside her in the mirror. To his eyes, she looked like Kairi but to her, nothing changed. "You look exactly like Kairi except for your eyes."

"My eyes?" she said looking at him through the mirror.

"Yes." He thought for a minute, "It seems you need some work to hide them still but the rest is just uncanny."

"If that's true then why can I still see myself," she said with an angry gaze.

"It's maybe because of your eyes," Riku said confused but thoughtful. "With time that'll be fixed though. Just keep trying."

She groaned in disappointment, "I guess."

This would be going over too far. Let's back track to the whole day before this, shall we?

* * *

"That's mine!" Ayano bellowed at the little runt that kept getting at her food. Throwing a piece she didn't want out to some other place got it out of her plate as it ate the food at the corner.

A couple of knocks came to her door which opened there after showing Riku entering her room.

"You ready?" he asked leaving the door half open.

"Yep!" she called gulping down a piece of bread and getting up to get her jacket. She patted let lap twice before heading towards Riku, "C'mon, Hibi!" The Heartless barked in happiness as it ran towards them.

"Hibi?" Riku said, an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, Hibiki. It's his name," she said as they walked towards their destination.

"You named it," he said with a scoffed playfully. "Aren't you a handful."

"Hey, he's really nice as a pet." She patted her knees as they walked making Hibiki jump into her arms. "He's a little jerk when he eats my food but besides that he's pretty nice to have around."

"All right. Just hope he doesn't become a nuisance," he admitted.

"Don't worry," she said putting the Heartless in the hood of her jacket where he easily placed himself. "He'll stay put. Right, Hibiki?" He answered with a gleeful bark. "So no worries."

"Then let's head there."

"Where is this?!" Ayano called out a bit disgusted to say the least. After travelling through Maleficent's vessel, they had found themselves inside a very unusual place. Every step she took was like a stepping on slime which was making her shoes quite sticky. And she could swear she heard growling and rumbling sometimes too. "Well, ain't this fun."

"Don't complain. I've got a job to do," Riku said walking onward with Ayano, regretfully, following on his heels.

"What's this job anyways? And why were you so insistent on bringing me with you?" she asked as they walked the gooey rooms.

"You're looking for something aren't you?"

Her back straightened right away but her nonchalant mask remained. "What makes you think-"

"Enough with the lying." Just then, he had turned around and stopped in front of her making her stop in turn. "I know your tricks, Ayano."

"Tricks?" she said confused.

"Maleficent told me about them," he confessed pointing at her face; more specifically, her eyes. "She didn't tell me how or why she knew but she knew. Those eyes have powers, they're the ones that make it hard for me to tell when you're saying the truth. You're a liar and those eyes of yours deceive. I saw you at Agrabah, in the Cave of Wonders and again in Olympus. What I wanna know is how? How did you even get past your guards?"

A scowl came to her lips as her brow furrowed, "You brought me here to interrogate me. You lied to me. I hate that."

He scoffed condescendingly, "The feeling's mutual."

She felt a bit hurt by this but, quite truthfully, expected this reaction. She'd seen it many times before. Nonetheless, the mask remained and she gave a snarky smirk that threw him off. "Okay then, true." She walked on forth still talking, "You know now. What do you expect to get out of it?"

"Your help."

Spinning on her heels, she faced him with a quizzical expression. "What?"

"Even before this, I knew you were different."

Something sparked inside Ayano's head at that word.

**People hate people who are different.**

She scoffed, "You hate me then."

"Huh?"

"It figures," she said glancing sideways. "People...hate people who are different." She covered the left side of her face with a sad grimace, "What did you want from me, anyways? How could I even help? Why, would be more like the million munny question."

"You can help me find my friend. She's lost, goodness knows what's happened to her and where she is. I need to find her," Riku pleaded.

"You haven't answered my question," Ayano called seriously. "Why would I even consider helping you?"

"Because even when you're a liar, you're not a bad person."

Her eyes widened at the sudden statement which she hid behind a calm mask. The hand that rested on her hip dropped to her side, though, showing she had been thrown aback herself from his words. How could he say something like that when he didn't even know her that well. And it wasn't like she knew him well enough either.

Both were complete strangers to each other and yet one was already opting for the most positive outcome.

Admirable...but naive nonetheless.

"You've got very bad judgement," she simply said starting to walk off and venture on.

"Where are you going?" he asked a bit startled by her unbiased statement towards an answer.

"Away." She answered but stopped and looked over her shoulder to him. "You've got a job to do, right? I'll wait for you somewhere else where I won't be a bother. We'll go home then and I'll try and see how I can help you."

"Really?"

"Don't push it though," she said giving him a grin. "I'm fickle with my decisions. And like you said, I'm a liar, aren't I?"

"But I can tell you're saying the truth," Riku said. "I'll go looking for you then once I'm done."

"Sure thing, boss," she called jumping up and getting herself in another room. As she walked around, she thought about all he said. "They deceive, huh?" she said

**"That is their basic ability."**

Startled by the sudden statement, Ayano jumped out of the way to face the dark version of herself. And there she stood, the same one that had appeared before her in Agrabah. Standing up slowly, she glanced the shadow over. Her clothing had changed much like hers had. Now it wore a pleated black skirt with knee high, heeled boots with four metal clasps on each. She wore a dark cobalt shirt with a slight slit on the chest area that was simply connected by crisscrossed strings. The shirt itself was tucked in. Over it all she had a black jacket with the hood on but because it was unzipped, her face remained revealed. Her hair was just like Ayano's, curled and long, but was black and instead of being lose it was now being held up by a red hair tie that let the curls fall on either side.

"You again."

**"I do have a name, you know."**

"Yeah," she sneered. "And what would that be?"

**"Hotaru. That was the name I was born with for I was created from a person who embodied darkness and despair."**

"Well, weren't you the loved child," joked about.

**"You must know. After all, you created me." **The grin was wiped off her face just as the words reached her ears. At seeing this, Hotaru gave a melodious laughter of amusement. **"You don't know? I guess that witch forgot to mention to the boy how it is your powers work."**

"Are you going to be kind enough to tell me, then?" she asked. Hotaru smirked before disappearing as mist and before Ayano could do anything, the mist rushed onto her and was gone. Hearing a chuckle come from behind her, she spun to see Hotaru leaning against a wall and holding something in her hand.

**"You see this?"** She held up what Ayano could now recognize as a mask. It had a basic rectangular shape with the end being slightly pointed. The coloring was cut in half, the left side was white while the right was black. The eyes were slanted diamonds and they reminded her of her own cat-like eyes. **"This is what you wear each time you lie."** She brought the mask up to her face making the once hollows shine bright red. **"It is what you create each time you meet a person. You read their hearts and mirror their personality in other to hide yourself. It is...your own defense mechanism per se. But this defense strategy had a very peculiar side effect."** Leaving the mask, she pulled her hood forth to obscure her face. Now all that Ayano could see was were the red eyes and the splitting contrast of colors. Suddenly, black ribbons began to surround Hotaru and soon engulfed her. But just as fast as they came they disappeared and left behind the spitting image of Riku.

Ayano couldn't help but gasp.

The Riku that was before her, spread his arms out and smirked wickedly which sent shivers down her spine. **"It seems that each time you create a mask, a piece of that person's essence becomes attached to it. Hence, you permanently hold a piece of their heart with you withing these masks making you capable of using their mirrored image without having to actually look at them." **Taking his hand to his face, he took a hold of something that at mere touch dissolved the transformation back into those ribbons of blackness and reshaping the mask that now Hotaru held in her hands. **"In short the process goes: you see people's hearts and copy them to lie, but in reality what you are doing is taking a little piece of them and shaping it into a mask for your own personal use. One can only lie to one self. You've made that statement literal. You are a mirror that lies by showing other people a lie of themselves. In the end, it is all a deceitful lie."**

"I...deceive other people?" Ayano murmured.

**"Correct." **Hotaru threw the mask back at Ayano who was startled enough to barely catch it but with no need to since the mask only broke apart into tiny glittering pieces that went into her body at contact. **"Your eyes have the ability to deceive. Lying is all you can do, all you will ever be able to do. Your lying is what hurts everybody around you. And someday, maybe days from now, years from now, those lies will be the end of you."** With that, Hotaru disappeared in the same dark mist she had used before.

Ayano stayed there for a minute trying to process all that had been said to her. "I hurt everybody I meet. Even Oswald and Ortensia, who were so nice to me. Riku, even. My lying..." she said squatting down and hugging her knees. "Does nothing but hurt everyone I know." A soft whine from below made her glance up to see Hibiki getting on his hind legs and leaning on her legs. Whining in worry as he scratched her to get her attention.

Kneeling down, she grabbed Hibiki and hugged him tightly to her while burying her face on him. "Why was I born with these eyes? I hate them. I..." Despite her pride full self, a tear stumbled down her eyes. "I hate myself."

After a few minutes she regained her composure and got back up. Because of this she made up her mind. "I'll find away, Hibiki. I'll find how to get rid of my deceiving eyes."

Her fervent determination made Hibiki's mood sky rocket as he started licking Ayano's face nonstop. This, in turn, made her laugh and lifting her spirits. Now she had set herself goals: go back home and cure her eyes.

"We'll find a way," she promised herself but spoke to Hibiki as she raised him above her head. "For sure." The Heartless only barked back in agreement.

"Ayano!" Turning she saw as Riku exited from a dark portal with a disgusted look on his face.

"Did something happen?" she asked. "Don't tell me you screwed up the job?"

"Just shut up, okay?" he snapped at her as he walked around trying to think. The statement instantly shocked her but she hid it. He'd never talked like that to her. He heaved a sigh and brushed back his hair as he turned to look at Ayano. "Look, I'm sorry for yelling at you. I didn't mean-" but Ayano's raised hand stopped him mid sentence.

"Don't worry," she said with an aloof look on her face. "I've been a jerk myself sometimes too. Not as much as others but nonetheless, we all have the right to complain from time to time."

"Thanks," he said with a grin. "We should be heading back too."

"Yeah."

* * *

Once she was left in her room alone, Ayano scavenged through her bag for the incomplete Star Shard. Pulling it out, she examined it and noted how before inside of...wherever they were, the piece hadn't reacted at all. So perhaps hers worries having left a Star Piece behind were for nothing.

"How tiresome!" she called out dropping onto her bed as she stared at the pieces she had. Once completed, the Star Shard would be able to get her home safely. Home with Oswald and Ortensia. Thinking of them, she grimaced. She had left them behind with such bad happenings. She wondered if they were looking for her or if they already given up. No, Oswald would never stop searching. He'd go to the end of the world to find me. **He was willing to give me up so easily, though.** That single thought evaporated all thought of his searching. "Still...I miss them," she called curling up on her pillow and tried getting some rest.

However, not even ten minutes in, a knock came to her door followed by it being opened. Immediately and stealthy hiding the Star Shard, she sat up to see Riku entering her room.

"Is it just me or do you just knock and think it's okay to come in?" she asked ruffling her hair into place but knowing it was probably the same if not worse.

"Sorry. Out of habit, I guess," he said and stood in the middle of the room quite awkwardly.

"So," she uttered elongating the word to add to the awkwardness. "Did you...need something or whatnot?"

He took in a breath and scratched the back of his head before speaking, as if nervous which was a new sight for Ayano. So she gladly took every second of it. "I..." he heaved a great sigh as if doing this was mighty hard. "I need to apologize, you know, for acting like such a-" He stopped at a loss for the right word.

"J-J-J-" Ayano punctuated the first letter of the word she knew fitted just right. "C'mon, say it with me. Je-"

"Jerk," they both said, Riku louder than her.

"Yes, for being such a jerk about the situation," he finally said letting a sigh of relief escape him.

She held back a scoff at seeing how hard this was for him. She got comfortable on her bed, "Continue."

"More?"

"If that's your version of an apology then you've got much work to do, pal," she chuckled sitting cross legged and patting her knees.

"Okay then," he sighed for the umpteenth time that day and went on. "I shouldn't have gone at you the way I did back then. It was just that I was so surprised but at the same time...anxious, I think. Knowing that you could lie so blatantly and leave barely any to no trace that in fact you're lying. It's nerve wrecking, actually."

"I get it," she said throwing her legs over the edge of the bed. "You felt overwhelmed."

"To be truthful," he muttered looking her in the eyes. "I felt more than overwhelmed. I dare say it gave me the feeling of something bordering being overpowered."

"Overpowered?" a tinge of curiosity came out in her voice. "How?"

"You're just a girl."

"Hey!"

"Not in a bad way," he immediately defended himself. "I mean, you're so small and fragile from being a girl. Plus your age."

"What about my age?" she asked pouting.

"Well, your younger than me, aren't you?"

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"I'm your age, you big moron," Ayano chastised and stuck her tongue out.

"Oh," he said taken aback. "It doesn't matter, my point is that we different but yet what should be most apparent isn't true."

"Most apparent?"

"On who's most capable," Riku confessed. "As I am now, I'm even doubting if I can safe Kairi."

"Kairi," she repeated. "Your friend that your looking for, right?" She gave it a thought before actually asking. "If I'm going to help you look for her, then I've got to know some stuff about her. You know, so that I recognize her in case I see her," she called as she got up and sat in the middle of the room.

"Sure," he said getting closer and sitting down on the floor with her.

"And also," she said lifting a finger. "I want to try something as well."

And now we're back at the start. "Forget it for now," she said feeling a breeze come and go as the transformation ended. "As long as I can't hide my eyes, the change is useless."

"Despite that, it was impressive," Riku admitted. "Since when can you do that?"

"Um, I learned today," she lied not wanting to mention anything about getting the idea off of Hotaru's little sideshow. Even so, it was weird. Hotaru said that she could only make masks, and therefore copy, of other people by meeting them and actually interacting with them. Then how was it possible that she transformed perfectly into this Kairi chick with only the details that Riku gave her? All of it was just not making any sense at all.

That was when one of the Heartless outside made it's way through the door and started shoving them outside.

"What the-"

"It must be Maleficent," Riku said getting her confused words. "She must be looking for me."

"Then why is he poking me with that damn sword too!?" She slapped the pointed weapon away from herself making the pirate Heartless mad.

"They're the ones assigned to Hook," Riku uttered thinking to himself. "You'd better come just in case."

Opting for that, both headed towards Hook's ship that had landed outside of Hollow Bastion. Once on deck, Maleficent, Hook, and more pirate Heartless awaited them there.

"I see you have brought her along as I expected," Maleficent uttered.

"So you did want me here," Ayano smirked. "Where'd all that lovely hatred from before go?"

"It's still there child," Maleficent answered with a grin of her own making Ayano eat her words. "But for the sake of the boy, I am keeping my calm. After all, I have something to show you." Riku and Ayano glanced at each other before following Maleficent into the captain's cabin. "As promised," Maleficent said moving from in front of them revealing a girl soundly asleep on the couch next to the window.

"Kairi!" Riku exclaimed sprinting to her and moving her hair from her face. "Kairi, wake up!"

"She cannot, boy," Maleficent responded.

"Why not?" Riku snapped at her.

"Although we found her, it was inevitable for her to lose her heart," she explained. "After all, she was lost in the dark for so long."

"Lost how?" Ayano asked curious. "Did the Heartless get it?"

"Hard to tell," the witch answered. "However if finding it is what you seek then I have a solution for you. Somewhere in a very special place lies knowledge beyond compare."

"Where is...this special place?" Riku asked not taking his glance away from Kairi.

"It can only be found by uniting seven pure lights which reside in seven princesses. With them you will find the way into the heart of all hearts...Kingdom Hearts."

"Kingdom..." Ayano whispered to herself.

"In there you'll surely find a way to restore this girl's heart to her," she explained.

Riku didn't answer but instead spoke to the sleeping Kairi. "Just you wait, Kairi. I'll definitely get your heart back."

* * *

**I couldn't explain it but the endless insinuations the witch gave were disconcerting.**

**Not only for me but him as well. For once I couldn't tell whether she was lying...or actually telling the truth. But from that I would learn that one doesn't necessarily have to lie in order to deceive.**

* * *

**_Well, how was that!? :D _**

**I liked it, specially cuz it went in depth with Ayano's power :)**

**Well please review! **


	5. Fifth Lie

_**It bums me a bit that the story isn't getting any reviews but the fact that I'm having followers and favs it awesomerest! :D**_

**_Thanks to squirpsdolphin for the fav and follow :3_**

**_Them plus the people who read this story are what keeps me publishing more. So thanks to all of you again :)_**

* * *

**Fifth Lie: The Black Widow**

* * *

_**Spider's are my favorite insect and actually animal too. They're so nasty yet beautiful. **_

_**They thrive where no other creature can. They're clandestine creatures that seek out benefits of their own survival. **_

_**Webs are a particular interesting subject because, just like lies, they grow and grow until they catch their pray. That's when they devastate it with the truth and leave it vulnerable for the feast.**_

_**It's...the perfect way to strike and kill.**_

* * *

A constant barking and growling was what made her wake up in the middle of the night. Groggy and very angry for being woken up, she grabbed the pillow that was on her head and removed it.

"Damn it, Hibiki," she cursed under her breath. "This better not be another of your damn midnight snack times..." Her furious tone slowly faded as she saw just what the Heartless was going on about. Although a bit out of focus still, her eyes clearly caught the sight of the bright Star Shard that Hibiki held in his mouth as he growled again. "What the heck...?" she mumbled getting it from his mouth and looking at it. Once in her hands it shown brighter letting a ray of light out and opening another doorway.

"Why at this time?" she mumbled not understanding but still getting up and walking close to it. Hibiki kept barking and barking and accidentally ran into the doorway going through it. But just as quickly as he went, he came back through. This time around, though, his coat was soaked and he shook all around to dry himself off. "Water?" Ayano questioned as she covered her face from the sprinkling drops.

Putting her hand through, she felt her hand suddenly getting damp. "It is water!?" And before she could think about it, Hibiki had launched at her and pushed her through.

All at once, she felt her whole body soaking wet and when she tried to take a gulp of air all that entered was cold, salty water. But altogether her lungs took a great gulp of air and when she tried kicking her legs in order to swim she immediately noticed that both were doing it no matter which one she kicked.

At opening her eyes, she gaped at her legs or...what should have been her legs.

"What in the hell!" she bellowed but felt so gleeful inside. Her legs had been replaced by a tail with her fin being very thin, it flowed it the water just like her hair did. All of her upper body was bare except for her breasts, or lack there of, which were held by a pair of white shells tied on her by a string of white pearls. On her biceps, she had two red crystal bracelets. Kicking again, she saw the tail move up and down. On her hip was a belt Trying to get used to it, she kept swimming around.

It didn't take much and she got used to it. Then she got tapped on the back by something. Spinning around, she found a black and yellow clown fish swimming about with her.

She scoffed, "Hibiki?"

The Heartless barked which was strange for him being a fish but when he swam up, it gave her a good view of his belly. On it was the Star Shard shinning brightly and tied on him.

"Could it be it's power of travelling?" Yeah, that would explain they're sudden change. It was adapting them to the area. "Well," she said getting Hibiki and swimming on forth. "It brought us here for a reason, there should be a Star Piece somewhere in this world as well."

But when she wasn't even out of the cave she got herself in, three different Heartless appeared before her. Pulling Hibiki away from them she got back. Without her pistols she had no way to defend herself and that Hibiki kept barking at them didn't help.

"Damn."

"Watch out!" And before they could do anything thunder struck the three eliminating them completely. From behind them came four figures swimming her way. Three she recognized while the girl looked to be one originated from this world. They were the ones from Olympus. The winning trio that went to defeat Cerberus. But then that would mean that they travel from world to world like her and Riku can.

"Are you okay?" the brunette with spiked hair asked her.

It took her some time to answer but snapped out of it before they could mention anything. "I'm...all right, thanks."

"No problem," the turtle...dog answered.

"Who're you?" the girl asked. "You're a face I haven't seen before either."

"You're not from here too?" the boy said amazed.

"Yeah, I got here from another ocean," she lied already having a mask out of his persona. "Who are you, by the way?"

"My name's Sora," the boy said and pointed at the other two. "This is Donald and Goofy, and this here is Ariel."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Ayano," she introduced herself. It wouldn't be up to the mask she wore if she didn't reciprocate the action even when as herself she wouldn't have thought of it. "And this is Hibiki."

"Where you headed somewhere?" Ariel asked her curious.

"Sort of," she said. Weird, she was saying something way closer to the truth than usual.

"Well maybe it could help if ya come along with us," Goofy declared. "We're headed to Ariel's grotto and she has lots of objects that she's collected in there."

"Goofy's right," Donald added. "What you're looking for could be in there."

"If you guys don't mind me," she said bashfully.

"Don't worry," Sora said admirably. "You can't be going out alone right now, too. There's too many Heartless about. It'd be much better sticking with us."

"Yeah, thanks," she agreed and as planned followed behind them. Soon they arrived at the grotto but someone had already won them to it and it was none other than Ariel's father, King Triton. "Oh goodness," she heaved as the struggle ensued and soon, Ariel swam away in a flurry. Deciding to follow behind her, Ayano swam out and kept up to her for a bit before losing her. After all, Ariel was more used to swimming and easily outpaced her leaving her stranded in the middle of nowhere near a crevasse in the ocean floor. "Just great," she snapped throwing her arms out. And Hibiki was barely catching up to her then. "Sorry, Hibi. I was trying to catch up to her but..." Proved pretty useless to try anyways.

"You've gone much out of your way haven't you?" At hearing the voice behind her, Ayano spun but was capture by a pair of tentacles that wrapped around her whole body and over her mouth to keep her quiet. As she struggled, Hibiki bit down on the tentacles but was slapped away by another. "You small fry are very annoying." Before her, Ursula only grimaced at seeing the girl. "Well, what do we have here. It's Maleficent's little prisoner. Now how did you escape the boundaries of your cell, little angel fish?"

Removing the tentacle to let Ayano speak, she only got her to bit down on it. Ursula cringed and gave Ayano enough time to escape. "You little brat!?' She heard her exclaim and swam as fast as she could. When she turned a corner and saw an opening for hideout, she took Hibiki and snicked under.

Thankfully, it seemed that she had left them be for she hadn't followed after them. Right when she left her place of hiding the Star Shard on Hibiki started blinking.

"Now you decide to say something?" she snapped grabbing Hibiki and senselessly talking to the shard. She sighed knowing it was no use to argue but what was she suppose to do now. She couldn't return without finding Ariel first but the sea was vast. Plus she could barely get a hang of herself. "I'm not fit for babysitting." That's when she remembered the blinking shard. Grabbing Hibiki and getting him closer, she saw as it still blinked but dimly now. It was far from here. It was blinking brighter after she stopped chasing Ariel. Could it have been somewhere over there?

Swimming away, she found her way back to the grotto. She could tell by just being there that a lot more had gone on. Stuff was on the floor and broken and the others were nowhere in sight. Nevertheless, she took her time to look around the place with the Star Shard in her hands.

"Why back here though?" she muttered and yelped when Hibiki swam up to her and snatched the shard from her hand. "Hey?!"

She began chasing the little clown fish around the grotto until he bumped into a wall falling and letting the shard go. At touching the floor, the shard began to shine bright. "What?" she whispered and stared in front of it to catch the sight of a small chest. But trying to open it was futile since it was locked. "Damn it."

Hibiki's barking took her mind from the matter as she kept trying to get the chest unlatched. "Shush, Hibi." He's barking didn't cease but instead grew louder.

**"Having fun there?"**

Ayano spun to stare at Hotaru's form which remained intact despite being in this world. "What do you want?"

**"Simple: to help."** She pointed a pale finger at the chest that Ayano held tightly close to her. **"You know of the key that opens any lock, right? And as you figured out awhile ago that boy you met has one too."**

"So?" Ayano tried be nonchalant in front of her but no matter what she used there was no mask that could fully lie to Hotaru that she knew of. "I don't even know where they are?"

Hotaru smirked wickedly and her body suddenly vanished leaving only a pale white orb surrounded by a black aura. The orb moved heading for the exit then waited as if waiting for Ayano to follow. Taking a gulp of air, she followed as Hotaru led her to the palace where Sora and his friends barely managed to stop before crashing into her.**  
**

"Ayano!?" Sora called confused.

"Sora, what happened?"

"Ariel!" Sebastian cried out, desperate to find the young mermaid. "We must follow her!"

"But-" Ayano's sudden cry was interrupted by Sora's Keyblade abruptly appearing in his hand. Pulling his arm forth, the blade shot a ray of light towards Ayano. Instinctively she pulled the chest up to her face in attempts to guard herself. Both gasped at hearing a tiny click of the lock. "It opened it."

"By itself?" Sora said confused and looking at the Keyblade.

"Sora!" Donald called. "We've gotta go after Ariel!"

"Oh yeah!" Sora called gripping it tightly. "Ayano, stay here. We'll be back soon."

"Sure," she muttered and saw as they swam away. Hotaru's dark sphere suddenly grew darker as she reappeared.

**"Quite useful that brat has turned out to be."**

"Why did it open it by itself?" Ayano asked leaving behind the small chat.

**"Easy...but complicated at the same time."** Hotaru simply chuckled, **"Let's just leave it at..._he_ wants to help." **With that complicated answer, she vanished for good leaving Ayano with the opened chest. Shaking her quizzical comments behind, Ayano opted to open the chest instead. Finding inside the piece she was looking for, she took out the semi-completed one she had and united them both. Now it was looking more like the Star Shard she had used when she left Wasteland but still missing the top part.

"We'll go home soon, Hibiki," she whispered to herself and held onto it as the ray of light shot out leaving the doorway back to her room. She reached out for it but hesitated. Sora told her to stay behind and that they'd be back. But why were his words making her doubt now? A bark from Hibiki mad her snap out of it and pushed herself through with the Heartless following behind her.

Rolling out and landing face first on the floor of her room left her a bit confused.

"Welcome home."

Hearing his voice out of nowhere made her cringe as she looked up. There stood Riku with his arms crossed and a brow lifted.

Ayano chuckled nervously, "Hey. What's up? When did you get here?"

"Half an hour ago. And you weren't here," he pointed out and nodded to where the door had been. "So that's how you've been getting in and out."

"At least I've come back, haven't I?" she retorted getting up and feeling her hair. Wringing it out, she saw as the water in it sprinkled. "I'm keeping my promise of helping you. I'm not leaving till then."

"Right," he said with heavy sarcasm in his voice making her flinch. He sounded so cold and frivolous. "Let's go."

"What?" she inquired completely caught of guard.

"You're coming with me to Neverland," he said straight forth and started to head out of the room.

"Why?" she called out.

"Since you seem to be so keen of traveling, you'll be coming with me," he said looking back at her. "And since you'll be giving free transportation-" he snapped his fingers as a dark flash came to them. The same dark flash came onto the Star Shard tying it in darkness, "-you won't need that anymore."

"No!" she cried reaching out for the shard and finding it cold and heavy in her hands. "No! Riku, why are you doing this!?"

"I don't care about your help anymore. I know of my powers and I can use them as I please. But for now, Maleficent wants for you to remain in close watch and seeing as the one before didn't serve it's purpose, I've been given the task of babysitting you," he explained. "I won't have you escaping my sight anymore."

"Why?!" she yelled her eyes burning red as a different kind of mask took over her. "You have no right-"

"You're the one that barged in unannounced," he pointed out. "Now this is just an insurance to make sure you don't bite the hand that fed you."

Hibiki, tired of her master's abuse, went over and started barking and snapping at Riku. Glancing down, he simply kicked Hibiki making him yelp. "Hibiki!" Ayano yelled grabbing the Heartless and holding him close as it shivered in fear. Ayano simply scowled at Riku and for the first time, feeling strange hatred towards him since they met. "Why're you acting like this? What's the matter with you!"

"I've finally found her," he said turning his back to her. "I'm not letting anybody get in the way of getting her heart back now." With that he left her to inquire of the strange changed he'd endured.

"Are you okay?" she uttered to Hibiki who only snuggled in her arms and continued to shiver. She bit her lower lip as anger ran over her. No one hurt touched a hair of the people she cared of; no one. If he wanted to be like that then fine. She could be a real pain in the ass as well. "You won't get away with this, Riku."

**"You can't plot against him, though,"** Hotaru's voice came from behind her but she didn't bother to turn to speak to her. **"He's got the darkness in his side, plus Maleficent as well."**

"Is that what's changed him? The darkness that's pulling his strings?" Ayano asked for once being civil with Hotaru.

**"For now it's him pulling the strings of his own dark powers but I can tell Maleficent is onto something with using the boy. His darkness is stronger than a normal human's though. I suggest you take caution against him for now."**

"Helping me...again?" Ayano inquired turning to see her but she wasn't there at all. Instead her dark and pale complexion was across from Ayano, inside of the mirror. For once, Ayano swore that the expression on Hotaru's face bordered on sadness but was quickly replaced by a weary smirk. This in itself took away her breath and train of thought.

**"There's no point on you dying now. If you disappear, I would too,"** she said putting that weary grin on her face. **"So put it as a sort of self preservation action."**

"If it is then you're just using me, right?"

**"Isn't that what Riku was doing as well?"**

Ayano opened her mouth but at second thought closed it in a grimace. "Then we'll use each other until then. I have stuff I want as well."

**"To go 'home'?"** Hotaru said with a dried up chuckle. **"Funny thing, girly, because it seems that, alike me, you have no home to return to."**

"What?" Ayano murmured not getting what she was talking about.

**"Dearest,"** Hotaru begin enjoying her suffering much. **"Your home... Wasteland was swallowed by the darkness."** Ayano dropped to her knees while letting go of Hibiki.

"No..." She grinned her teeth, "You're lying!"

**"Nope! I'm the only harsh truth that's left in your heart, sweetie." **Hotaru said with a cackle actually enjoying it. **"You can't return because, you see, there's no home to return to. Wasteland no longer exists!"**

* * *

_**I was devastated. Home wasn't an option any longer. Putting the Star Shard together was of no use. But I couldn't stay with them any longer. Both the boy and the witch were only taking care of themselves. **_

_**And if that was the way to play the game then she, too, had the requisites to join in. **_

_**After all, creating a world of lies is useful once the target's tangled in that web of deceive. **_

* * *

**Well how was it? I didn't like the part of Antlantica but everything else I think was fine :) Sorry it's short this time, I'm trying to make this story last a little longer.**

**Please review!**


	6. Sixth Lie

_**I'm almost done with this and it's a good thing, cuz this story was basically a prequel for what I really wanted to write :)**_

_**Because of that, this is gonna be a really, really, short story. I think this'll be the last one. But if it is it might be longer than the others. **_

_**Sorry for disappointing you guys with this but this won't be the last. The next one should be longer and more interesting I hope.**_

_**And i know it won't get much, I hope the other one does and it'll be hopefully much longer xD**_

_**So first let's continue this one, shall we? ;) **_

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**Sixth Lie: The Spider's Fangs**

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**After that incident, the boy became distant and rather vicious. The relationship wasn't the same.**

**But what did I care? If I could get what I wanted, I could care less what happened. **

**And yet there was something deep in me that protested against every step I gave towards his direction.**

* * *

"Let go of me!" Ayano exclaimed wanting to push away from the Defenders that held either of her forearms. But neither of them listened and only let her down once they were outside near the port. Throwing her off, they departed and, checking to see if everything was safe, Hibiki peaked out from his hiding spot inside of Ayano's hood.

"Glad you could join us," Maleficent chuckled a bit apparently enjoying Ayano's pain.

"Didn't have much of a choice, did I?" she hissed faking a smile and rubbing her back. "Why am I here anyways?"

"The boy requested your presence to Neverland, remember?" Maleficent reminded her, making her sigh and blow away her bangs annoyed.

"Now that you're here we can get going," Riku called walking into the ship full of pirate Heartless.

"Great," Ayano hissed under breath as she followed behind him. Once inside, she inspected the whole place as they headed for the captain's room. She knew what awaited them there and part of her knew why Riku's had had such sudden change of heart with her. Once inside she stayed as far away as she could as Riku simply stood near Kairi's body.

"We've got to set sail to Neverland," Captain Hook called out to his first mate, Mr. Smee. "Smee, set the course."

"Y-Yes, Cap'n," he called shyly and left.

"How long will it be?" Riku asked straight forth.

"It'll be a while, I assure you that," Hook said brushing his mustache with his hand.

"Make it quick," Riku snapped at him. "We have to hurry."

Hook scoffed but said nothing and left the room. It made her feel sick, the way he looked at her. Ayano sat there patiently feeling the swaying of the ship as they set sail.

Taking a bottle from her bag, she snapped the cork off slightly getting the attention of Riku. Ayano ignored him and simply gulped the thing down forcefully, gagging at the fowl taste.

"What is that?" Riku asked not sounding quite as curious as he meant.

"This?" Ayano said ignoring that he'd actually said a word to her. "It's something to help my sickness."

"Sickness?"

"I get motion sickness," she said throwing the bottle away. "It's nasty. I got made a special medicine to help me with it and was taught how to make it. That's how I've handled traveling in this damn thing and in the damn portals." After all that had happened, him finding out how she really got out to other worlds, she didn't care anymore if he knew about them. And for him to know about the medicine Oswald had made her to keep her motion sickness at bay, was the least of her problems. "And talking about sickness," she got up and walked over to Kairi but not quite getting as close as she could, fearing the boy beside her. "She's pretty out of it."

"Tends to happen when you don't have a heart, I guess," he said nonchalantly.

"If you say so," she said yawning. "I don't know her and I could care less honestly, but I did promise to help you. And I don't break my promises."

"Don't you have somebody you've give anything to safe?" Riku snapped tired of her nonchalance and aloofness.

Her stare remained blank as she turned to face him, "Not really. I don't have a real family. The people that were taking care of me were willing to give me up. Nobody cares about me, why should I about anybody else?"

"You're sick," Riku whispered to himself but it had reached to her ears.

She scoffed and turned completely to face him, "Excuse me?" She threw her hands in the air, "I'm the one that's sick? Well, you aren't exactly a ray of sunshine, buddy. You've changed from nice to an ass over night and I'm the sick one? You've got real issues, boy. You can't even accept help when one's giving it to you."

"Help?" he spat out. "The only reason you're helping is because you're being forced to."

"Now you turn out to be condescending," Ayano mocked putting her hands on her hips. "I've got a news flash for you, buddy, nobody forces me to do anything. I choose by myself. If I'm helping you, it's because I want to not because you or that witch of a bitch orders me to. I'm a good person unlike you."

"Unlike me?! What good have you ever done! All you do is lie to every single person you meet eyes with and suddenly I'm the bad guy?" Riku snapped at her. "You're really screwed up. Now I'm sure your family left you because of your suffocating lies."

"You're an annoying piece of-Augh!" she protested not finding any other words to use.

"No, you're the one that's getting on my nerves!" he exclaimed. "I should have just let the Heartless kill you back then!"

"You're unbelievable!" she yelled going to the door and slamming it shut. She stormed out still having a mental rant and throwing vulgar words every other sentence. Finding herself inside one of the mate's rooms, she decided to sit on the bottom bunk as she calmed herself down.

Hibiki jumped out of Ayano's hood once he noticed that they were away from the silver-haired boy. Barking gleefully towards her master, he made her smile without question.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you," she apologized and patted her thighs making him jump up on her. "He just made me so mad!" She took a deep breath as if wanting to say another distasteful word but sighed instead. "I don't get it, Hibiki. Does Kairi...does she really mean so much to him?"

Hibiki whimpered and started lean against Ayano in comfort. Ayano sighed again, tired of being so confused herself. Glancing down at Hibiki, she saw the pendant of the Star Shard that hung from his neck. Even when putting it in her palm, she could still see the energy that negated her access to it. She hugged Hibiki tightly while whispering in her ear, "Don't worry. I'll find some other way and I'll take you home with me." The Heartless barked again and licked her face making her laugh, something she hadn't done ever since the night before.

A sudden jostle of the ship caught her off guard throwing her forth and squishing Hibiki underneath her. "Sorry," she muttered sitting up and hearing two loud bangs nearby. Curious of what it had been, she stood up and left the room only to find more Heartless than before. "What in the..." she whispered and walked closer to the door they guarded. Even though they stood watch, they let her look through the small, barred look out hole and immediately gasped at the two familiar faces. "Donald and Goofy!?" A contraption activated letting another figure fall down on top of the two already sprawled on the floor, "Sora!"

Even when she whispered, her words were pretty loud to catch Sora's attention but before he could glimpse she was already out of view. She gulped down a troubled air in her throat and hurried up towards deck and to the captain's cabin. Knowing she'd have to face the horrible face of that silver brat didn't bother her a bit. Knowing that the one kid that was anything close to nice to her would bug her mind forever.

She slammed the door through interrupting a vocal melee that Hook and Riku were having. If she wasn't so tired, she would've sworn that she saw some sort of blackness stir up from beneath him.

"Who're the people below deck?" she spoke right out her question.

"Why do you want to know?" Riku asked since Hook went on to receive a call from Smee.

"Well, um..." she hadn't really thought the conversation through. Not to that point at least.

"Captain Hook, the prisoners have escaped!" Smee cried from below deck into the pipes.

"He escaped...?" Ayano whispered to herself.

"Blast that Peter Pan!" Hook blabbered on as he ordered Smee to bring the girls up to his cabin.

"What's happening now?" Ayano asked out loud turning to Riku.

"I'm taking Kairi back to Hollow Bastion," Riku said to her and turned to Hook. "You deal with Sora. Stall him enough to let me escape."

"You blasted brat," Hook muttered under his breath as he left.

"And me?" she asked a bit concerned about her own well being. "You are taking me with you, right?" He clicked his tongue and snapped his fingers in an annoyed manner. Seeing the shine of the Star Shard return, Ayano wondered his actions until he worded them. "You can head back by yourself, can't you?"

"What-" she said brow furrowed.

Just then the pirate Heartless burst the room with Kairi as they dragged her by her arms. Ayano grimaced just as they got pulverized by Riku who got Kairi in his arms. When he headed for the door, she assumed he was going to head out to deck but was proven wrong when he opened a dark portal.

"You can't travel through the portals Riku!" she exclaimed in disbelief.

"It's possible with the power I have," he claimed and just then the lower trap door opened accompanied by a yell of Kairi's name.

Ayano turned to face Sora who only exclaimed out to Riku but before he could stop him Riku went away. She couldn't believe him, escaping just like that. Snatching Hibiki and taking a hold of the Star Shard, she wished with all her might to go back to Hollow Bastion.

"Ayano?!" Ayano opened her squinted eyes to see Sora's disbelief in his eyes and hear it in his voice. Why did he sound so disappointed?

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed and just then the portal opened beneath her letting her fall through and closing right after.

Falling right on her back took all the breath from her lungs almost making her vomit but she somehow managed to retain it. Hibiki jumped right off and started barking at something inside of Ayano's room. Turning to her side still a bit taken aback by her landing, Ayano manage to sight Hotaru sitting on her bed while glaring intently at Ayano with disdain.

**"What is it you think you are doing?!"** the shade bellowed to Ayano giving her a scowl.

"W-What?" she coughed as she sat up.

**"Don't play coy with me,** **Aya,"** Hotaru snarled getting up and walking up to Ayano's dresser were a couple of empty medicine bottles were.** "What is ****this about you and this other boy!"** she exclaimed hitting them all and breaking them as they clashed against walls and the floor.

"Other boy? You mean Sora?" she muttered getting her strength to get up. "What's he go to do-"

**"What's he got to do?!"** Hotaru scoffed in complete frustration. Grabbing her temple and massaging it, she sighed and returned to her calm and collected self.** "Look, sweetheart. Life works like this: you get one throw the coin. Only...one. Once you see you what you got, that's what you are stuck with. You threw your coin. You got stuck with the silver jerk. You can't go around changing sides. That's a big no-no."**

"Sides? What are you talking about?" Ayano inquired, her level of confusion sky rocketing.

**"Listen. All you need to know is that you have a purpose in life. And the way that purpose works is through a simple principle. According to it, if you keep helping the jerk you'll find your way home. Just stick with that and you'll be just fine."**

"What?" but her questions were cut short when a great roar reverberated through the whole castle. "What was that...?" Then what had happened returned to her mind, "Riku?!" She burst out of her room completely forgetting about Hotaru. Running through corridors to get to Maleficent's chamber was tough as it was since she barely knew the place.

She wasted loads of time running around and ending at random places she never knew of. Somehow she got lost yet again landing herself on the second floor of the main lobby. With no stairs leading down to the first floor she couldn't continue and jumping down was not an option to her.

"Riku! What have you done!?"

Ayano turned to see Sora and Riku just below her. Leaning against the railing, she caught a glimpse of Donald and Goofy as well but why where they with Riku?

She gasped. What was Riku doing holding a Keyblade!? Being able to only catch bits and pieces of their conversation didn't help. A sudden barking made her look down to Hibiki who held the Star Shard that shone in the dark room.

"A Star Piece, here?!" she hissed kneeling down to grasp the shard.

"Riku..." Sora's words resonated loud and clear in the lobby as he spoke them. "What you have is not power. True power...it lies in what causes one to care for others: the heart. And as long as my friends think of me, our hearts will be one." The Keyblade that was in Riku grasp started shimmering and pulling away. Sora, then, spoke his final words, just as the Keyblade disappeared from Riku's hands and returned to Sora, "My friends are my power!"

Ayano smiled, for once, from the bottom of her heart. It was an easy choice to make.

Hotaru said that if she followed Riku, she would get home but to her it seemed that Sora was a better bet. Not only that but... The difference between them was clear as day. From the two...the Keyblade chose Sora for his heart.

"Any one with a strong-willed heart is suitable to bear a Keyblade. But only a heart that values those he cherishes is the one who deserves to bare the blade...right, Oswald?" she murmured remembering the words of her caretaker.

Now she could see the meaning behind Oswald's words, all through Sora. Closing her eyes and bowing her head, she murmured, "Thank you." Snapping them open, she grabbed a hold of Hibiki and the Star Shard and ran as she followed the gleam of the shard.

* * *

**I took step and step through the darkness and yet I could still see that boy's light shine bright in it. **

**No matter how dim it got or how overpowering the darkness was it always shone through. It was only that day that I saw it and that the spider's web began to crumble.**

* * *

_**Sorry it's so short but I'm gonna be done with this story hopefully in the next chapter. **_

_**There's a reason as I already explained and hope you read the actual story that I wanted to make. But this needed to be in there. **_

_**Please review :)**_


	7. Seventh Lie

_**Well I presume this will be the last chapter for this story BUT I will still write the next story soon. This one though will sorta pick up on where this left on.**_

**_Thanks to Queen Micky for the story fav and to Inmate XV for the first review! I appreciate you guys so much :D_**

**_Now here's what you've guys waited for :)_**

* * *

**Seventh Lie: Was it You...?**

* * *

**People say that strength is when people are brave enough to do something. But strength comes from knowing you're own weaknesses and learning from them.**

**Strength comes from fear because when you know what you fear most is when you can start to grow stronger and at the same time kinder.**

* * *

"Damn it! Where the heck is this damn thing!" As she ran around through the castle after the last piece of the Star Shard, she kept hearing and feeling rumbling through the castle as she continued.

Continuous barking came from beneath her just as she turned a corner making her stop. Hibiki behind her was barking at the opposite direction to where the Star Shard was pointing.

"What?" Ayano hissed confused feeling the rumbling again and looking above her head. "Hibiki! We have no time for this! We need to find this shard and get out of here!"

But Hibiki kept barking making Ayano glance up towards the place where he was barking. That hallway...it leaded to the room where she arrived to Hollow Bastion.

"Why...?" But Hibiki just continued barking. Why was he so adamant on taking her that way? Couldn't he see that the Star Shard was pointing the other way!?

_"Good boy."_

Ayano's ears perked and her eyes widened when she heard the soft and warm voice that resonated through the walls. Turning and trying to find the source was useless once she glanced down to Hibiki. The Heartless barked again but this time something in his tummy was dimly shinning. He was glad to here the voice but...why?

The voice giggled in such a manner that made Ayano blush. What was the matter with her? _"Follow him, child. He knows the way."_

Ayano could only stare at the Heartless as he barked one last time and went ahead running towards the chamber. Once in there, Ayano heard far voices and instantly caught Hibiki in her arms and shut him up. Entering the first chamber were all the girls slept, she peered in to see anybody was there. She came in seeing nobody and noticed that since the first time that she had been there, all the spots were full.

Slowly getting nearer and nearer helped Ayano recognize the voices. One was Maleficent's while the other sounded like Riku but something was off about it. Leaning a bit more to listen in to the conversation, she was only able to catch a bit of it.

"It must be her!" Maleficent voiced boomed in the room.

"Her?" Ayano whispered coming closer towards the second chamber. Close to the edge was an immovable body that she swore she'd seen before. Just then Riku began talking about 'her heart' and 'her power'. Then perhaps the one they were talking about and that she could see was Kairi.

Suddenly both Maleficent and Riku turned towards the exit making Ayano step back to hide. "The king's fools are here."

"King's?" Ayano's mind raced with all the information she was getting just now.

"I'll deal with them myself. You stay here and guard the princesses," Maleficent ordered as she walked away and disappeared into the darkness.

Ayano heaved a sigh of relief as her shoulders relaxed. Just then, Hibiki smuggled out of her arms and ran towards the next chamber and up its stairs. "No!" she hissed running quickly behind him but at the stairs spiraling up she lost him. Once she reached the top she caught the sight of Hibiki trapped beneath Riku's foot and him pointing his Keyblade at him. "Stop!"

"So, you were the one I sensed lingering among us," Riku's split voice cooed like a bell towards her.

She gulped her nervousness away and reached quickly down to her bag and drawing out her pistols pointing them at him. "Let him go!" she ordered to him. He sneered and plastered his foot harder onto Hibiki making him whimper loudly. "I said let him go!" she yelled clicking the safety off.

"Or what?" he scoffed again pointing the Keyblade at her. "You will shoot? Don't make me laugh. You are incapable of shooting this boy. At least not while your pathetic bonds are broken."

"What are you talking about?" she grimaced at him not taking her index fingers off the triggers.

"You yearn closure. He was your friend, if that is what you would call that kind of relationship. You knew something was wrong with him, you're ability sensed that quite well," he said appraising her gift. "And to tell you the truth, those eyes have been quite the trouble for me for much too long."

He smirked and swapped his Keyblade to backhand it and with one swift motion pierced downward right through Hibiki. Whimper once was enough before he slowly faded away revealing a bright pink heart floating away but instead of disappearing in the dark like she had seen many do, a light enveloped it and made it disappear.

"No!" Ayano screamed and fired towards Riku without thinking it twice. Missing the first twelve rounds in both, she rolled out of the way just when he went waves of energy towards her. Bringing left one up, she fired while aiming at his head. Riku swiftly blocked them with her sword and sprinted up to her slashing the gun out of her hands. She took a couple of steps back and took the right one into her dominant left and started shooting again. Promptly, he evaded every single shot, each time approaching her. Once he stood before her, he raised his sword once more but this time she saw it coming and gave him and roundhouse kick making him stand back.

"Not bad," Riku said suddenly disappearing and reappearing behind her. "But not good enough either." Before she could make a move he had put her in a choke hold using his Keyblade. "You know, I did meet one who had a 'gift' like yours. But she...she used it differently. I suppose that depending on which snake bit that predisposes the powers. And you were bitten by a very nasty one indeed."

"Shut up!" she yelled and pointed directly at him with the pistol in her left hand right in his chest making him release her. "You don't know me. You are not Riku!" Her confession made him chuckle.

"True enough." Out of the blue, the two began hearing approaching footsteps that hurried to them. "Now, you will remain silent." Raising his hand he summoned strings of darkness that suddenly captured Ayano and took her up towards the pipes that were next to the keyhole. "You will not interfere with this any longer."

And just as the trio was coming up the stairs, Ayano screamed at the top of her longs. "Sora, d-" but before anything else could come out the ribbons had closed around her mouth silencing her. She was forced to watch as things transpired until she remembered something. Her hands started to wiggle around trying to find space to snatch what she was looking for. Soon her hand grabbed a hold of the Star Shard. It wasn't complete but it emanated light and she knew that the darkness' worst enemy was light.

**C'mon, you stupid star. You've done it before, shine one more time! **

But it wouldn't answer. It remained silent as if nothing had been asked. Her eyes tinged with tears seeing at how hopeless and useless she'd become. Or had she always been like this?

**"This had been you all along."** Hotaru's voice resonated in her mind. **"So feeble-minded and so weak. You should had listened to me. But no~! Instead you go off running to look for some stupid star piece that you thought would to take you home. Take you home to the dark place that Wasteland is now."**

_"Shut up..." even her own thoughts seemed to be drowned by the dark shade's voice._

**"You wish I would yet you know what I say is true. I'm very different from the darkness that the boy held but it would have helped me become one with you had he opened your heart with that Keyblade of his. Had that happened...I would've made Master happy."**

_"Master...?"_ Hotaru's words made no since and yet the shade's emotions got mixed with her own. Sadness. Deception. Incompetence. Why was she feeling like this?

**"Had it not been for you and your stupid heart that seeks light, I would've been complete. I would have served my purpose. I could have made...him happy and proud of making me. I... wouldn't have been trash."**

_"Trash...? To whom?"_ Hotaru's head slowly turned to glance at Ayano and the expression on the shade's face confused her. So much sadness on her face but still it remained clear of any tears. _"You're...hurt, aren't you?"_

**"Shut up!"** Hotaru yelled and somehow that affected the strings that held her in place since they suddenly began tightening around her neck. **"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!"**

With every one of the screams, the strings became tighter around her neck until they started suffocating her. _"Stop... Hotaru...!"_

**"If only you'd stayed dead! If only that man hadn't brought you back, everything would've have been perfect!"**

_"W...what?"_

**"You need to die and stay dead!"** And with that last exclamation, the strings closed her windpipe allowing nothing to come in or out.

_"No, she won't."_ A sudden warmth came to her hands as a bright light pushed through the strings letting her catch her breath and move her hands. But instead of grabbing the Star Shard, Ayano went for the pistol that she had left and aim up. At firing, she destroyed the strings that held her back and reached out with her free hand to grabbed onto the pipes.

**"H-How!?"**

"Beats me," Ayano hissed aiming and firing at Hotaru who was too shocked to avoid them. She ended up getting hit ten times before falling down to the ground and dissipating into a mist of nothing. Ayano pulled herself up towards a more stable surface and glanced down just in time to see Sora deal the final blow to Riku, or to the one that had posses him, Ansem, Seeker of Darkness.

Riku fell to his knees only to dissipate just like Hotaru had before him.

"Riku!" Sora bellowed but too late to safe the boy. The two others alerted Sora of the darkness that threatened to pour out of the Keyhole.

Grabbing onto one of the pipes and climbing down, she landed just at a side of the two. She turned to Sora as she spoke, "You're the Keyblade's chosen one, right Sora?"

"Y-Yeah," he answered.

"Then you must be able to close this thing," she said turning to see the huge Keyhole.

"Will do!" he exclaimed and took out his Keyblade and attempted to lock it but to no avail.

"It won't work!" Goofy exclaimed in understanding. "The Keyhole's not finished yet!"

"What can we do?" Sora asked.

Ayano glanced behind her shoulder to look at Kairi who still slept. "Maybe we gotta go wake Kairi up," Goofy suggested.

"I think you're right," Sora agreed with him. "If we can free her heart...But how?"

Ayano's eyes instantly found the Keyblade that laid still, the one that Riku had held. She walked over to it and picked it up while glancing at him.

"I'm not suggesting anything but..." she held by its blade turning the hilt up.

"A Keyblade that unlocks people's hearts...I wonder," he murmured and came over to Ayano's side. "You were working with him and Maleficent, weren't you, Ayano?"

She chuckled slightly, "Can't lie to ya." Her face turned serious again, "I was. I regret it now, though. This...wasn't what I was looking for."

"Did you find it?" he asked curious. "Whatever it was you were looking for."

"Not yet," she giggled. "But I hope one day I will." Holding it out straight out to him she nodded, "And I hope you will too. Find what you're looking for, that is." He simply smiled and grabbed the hilt insisting Ayano to let go. She did and felt as the blade graced her hand as he took it away.

"Sora!" Goofy exclaimed to grab his attention.

"No, wait!" Donald bellowed but the boy only smiled widely to both, and turned the blade towards his chest and stabbed himself.

Ayano only glanced at the floor, deeply hurt that this was the only solution the both had come up with. The blade shone brightly as it separated back to its original six pieces of light that returned to their owners. With Sora, though, it shined bright as the last heart of light exited his body and returned to Kairi's. Ayano could only stare as Sora's body begin to vanish into particles of light.

"Sora...Sora!" Donald bellowed loudly running to his side.

"Sora!" Ayano turned just in time to see Kairi getting up and running to Sora in an embrace that ended with his body disappearing completely as little specks of light wondered away.

"Sora!" Donald exclaimed angrily at the specks as they hovered away. "Come back, Sora!"

"Sora, are you really..." Kairi mumbled at a loss for her words. Ayano simply glanced up with pity behind her calm mask. "No. He can't be. I won't let him go!" Ayano had just opened her mouth to say something when Ansem appeared behind them.

"So, you have awakened at last, Princess." He stood before them now in his real form. "The Keyhole is now complete. You have served your purpose. But now it's over."

"Don't make another move!" Donald called as he and Goofy took their weapons out. Ayano couldn't believe them. They were still willing to fight even when Sora wasn't with them.

But suddenly, Ansem was stopped in his tracks as he couldn't believe what was stopping him, "Impossible." An image of Riku appeared before them as he stretched out his arms impeding him further access.

"No. You won't use me for this!" he called standing his ground.

"Riku!" Kairi called to him.

"You've got to run! The Heartless are coming!" he warned them. As if on cue, a hoard of Shadows appeared surrounding them.

Ayano stood there examining everything and got her pistol out. Even if she just had one, it'd do. She turned towards Kairi and said, "I'll keep them for as long as I can. Go!"

Kairi's eyes were full of concern for her friend and the girl's safety but nonetheless agreed and left running with Donald and Goofy behind them.

"Aya, run away!" Riku yelled at her.

"I won't leave you behind!" she called pointing the pistols at Ansem.

"Such fools. One for believing he could survive. Nonetheless, there's no way for you to recover. Return to the darkness!" Ansem said as he submitted Riku back into his being.

"You piece of..." Ayano hissed.

"And the other for thinking that she could be of use," he said summoning a dark being that stood as his guarding behind him.

"I don't care if I couldn't help before. I can now!" she bellowed firing away. But the bullets were stopped short by the guardian that appeared before Ansem to protect him. And suddenly both disappeared and appeared back in front of her as the shadow grabbed her body in one hand, squishing her tiny body. "AH!"

"As you can see not even you can stop me," he whispered.

"B-But Sora will. I know he will," she hissed at him.

"That boy is part of the Heartless now."

"No. Sora's light shines brighter than any. I saw it. I saw it with my eyes. No matter how much I tried lying to him, that light kept setting me straight to the truth. Sora's light...cannot be killed!"

"Foolish thoughts," he said and squished her more until she stopped moving completely. "I should have had disposed of you when I first saw you." The shadow grabbed Ayano's arm and held her up. "And now you will interfere no more." The shadow then quickly pierced the other hand through her and threw her aside. Suddenly the dark started to swallow her whole and soon after a little burst of light, it was snuffed out.

* * *

**And so that little light that could found her courage but alas it wasn't enough for her to fight against that darkn-**

**"Wait a minute!"**

The girl who kept narrating the story halted her ending speech when the girl exclaimed madly at her.

"Yes?" she asked curious as to why the black-haired girl had stopped.

"That's it?" the girl exclaimed mad. "You're ending it like that!?"

The older girl chuckled, "Well, yeah. That's the end."

"B-But!" the other stammered confused. "What happened to the silver-haired boy? And to the princess friend? And what about the boy that lost his heart? What happened to him?"

"Well, who knows?" the older one said shrugging her shoulders. "I told it in main one's perspective. Once her life ended so did the story. Simple as that."

"You're stories make no sense sometimes," a blonde boy with spiked hair that accompanied the dark-haired girl sighed once he lost interest in the story.

"They're my stories, smarty pants. Who says they have to make sense?" she called out sitting on a table's edge.

"But it's still too oblivious of an ending," he complained rolling his eyes.

"Don't you roll your eyes at me mister!" she called playfully as she poked his forehead.

"Hey!" he pouted childishly making her laugh and in turn all three did.

"Roxas! Xion!" the both kids turned when their names were called by their red-head friend, Axel. "We've got a mission. C'mon!"

"Coming!" they said in unison getting up from the cough that they were sitting at in the main lobby.

"See ya, Big Sis Xaya!" Xion called running up first to Axel.

"Bye bye," she called waving at Xion.

Roxas turned to go but something kept bugging him that he had to ask. Turning to the storyteller, he spoke, "Noxaya?"

"I told you guys already. You gotta call me Big Sister Xaya!" she pouted putting her hands on her hips. She shook her head, "What's up, Roxy?"

"That girl you were telling about..." he lingered trying to tell her. "Was that...you're original self?"

Noxaya only blinked twice before laughing and startling Roxas. She wiped a tear from her eyes as she spoke, "What made you think that Roxas?"

"No, it was just-" he stopped at hearing her laugh some more and watched her as she held her stomach.

Once she stopped, she looked at him seriously, "I'm sorry, I spoke too much again, didn't I? But, that's because it was just a 'made-up story', silly."

"Roxas," Axel called again.

"Well then, I'll end it here," she assured him and poked his nose this time. This made him grab it with his hands as he looked into her gold eyes. "The next time we meet, let's have an even more wonderful conversation. Right, Echo?" from inside her hood, a tiny, silver, and hound-ish Nobody came barking. Roxas was now more confused than ever.

"Roxas!" Axel called making him come over to the duo. "What took you so long?" he complained.

"Xaya-nee, was telling us stories!" Xion called happily.

"You shouldn't listen to those tall tales she spits out," Axel said with a grunt as he opened a portal.

"But they're awesome!" Xion countered fighting with him as she passed the portal.

"What was the story about now?" Axel asked annoyed.

Roxas, however, was too taken back as he watched Noxaya receiving orders from Saix like all the others. Once he was done with her, she turned to leave and caught his sight. She winked at him while placing his finger upon her grinning lips and for an instant, he swore that her eye had shone red before turning back to its usual gold.

"Roxas?"

"Huh?" he turned to Axel a bit lost.

"Stop spacing out, buddy. We need to leave," he said pushing him to go through the portal. Turning to face the room one last time to look for Noxaya was for nothing since she had already left the room. Yet a persistent voice kept telling him that what she said was a lie.

How could all that be a made-up story...if she had described to the tee many of the dreams he would have?

* * *

_**And so it ends... Anybdy thought that those bolds were an actualy narration to other characters? Well that's that.**_

_**I'll be putting the next one up soon so please wait for it! :D Please review as well.**_

_**Bye bye :)**_

_**7/27 Update: I've changed a little at the ending. Just a tad bit but it won't be confusing if you missed it :)**_


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